  We present a transport study of semi-metallic bismuth in presence of a
magnetic field applied along the trigonal axis extended to 55 T for electric
conductivity and to 45 T for thermoelectric response. The results uncover a new
field scale at about 40 T in addition to the previously detected ones. Large
anomalies in all transport properties point to an intriguing electronic
instability deep in the ultraquantum regime. Unexpectedly, both the sheer
magnitude of conductivity and its metallic temperature dependence are enhanced
by this instability.
