[written on the same sheet as a note from Lady Elisabeth - see Doc. No: 03311].

London
24 June

My Dear Henry

Why does Cat’s ice ^<1> in forming in a thin film on the surface of water, strike out radiations of crystallization?

Why does the skim of cream in a hot cup of tea which cannot be freezing, do just the same?

WFS

London
1836 June twenty four
Henry Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
W F Strangways

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Notes:

1. “Cat Ice, or Cat's Ice. — A very thin coat of ice floating on the surface of water.... Cat-ice, according to Wright, is a Northamptonshire term for ‘ice from which the water has receded.’ Cat’s ice has in Kent the same signification. The expression may be allusive, referring to the boyish amusement of placing on the ice a cat shod with walnut-shells — of course not very amusing to the cat. Ice unsafe for the boys might serve for the cat, and hence be called ‘cat's ice.’ Or ‘cat's ice’ may be catch ice from its dangerous character. Or, again, it may bear the same meaning, but from a different source. The old word cazzo (pronounced cotzo) signified in Italian, when employed as descriptive of character, merely ‘an honest simpleton.’ But in passing into our language the term lost its innocence; and in old English we had catso, a rogue, ‘borrowed from the Italians,’ says Nares, ‘by Ignorant travellers, who probabty knew not its real meaning.’ From catso, In this rogish sense, might be formed ‘cat's ice,’ that is, treacherous ice; in short, ice that will let you in.’ Mica, a mineral of which the colour is often a silver-white, was formerly called cat-silver.” Nomenclator, Notes and Queries, s. 3 no. 22, 31 May 1862, p. 429.