Small Temporary Glaciers of the Voages. 233 



pliant nature, were curved and bent to the earth by the strong 

 pressure of the masses of neve from above. The strongest 

 trees had resisted ; but the marks left on the bark enabled 

 us to trace the line to which the friction of the snow ex- 

 tended. 



This movement, — this pressure — caused by the snow, does 

 not exist in winter. 



The trunks of trees are not compressed and broken ; but, 

 when the season, bybecoming warmer, causes a partial melt- 

 ing of the snow, penetrates it with water, and changes it into 

 neve and ice. In such cases, the movement exists every- 

 where, as well on gentle slopes, where the inclination does not 

 exceed 6° or 7°, as on inclined planes of 45°. If this move- 

 ment were caused by sliding, it would be much more rapid 

 on a steep declivity than upon an almost horizontal plane. 



We continued these observations a little later. On June 

 22d, 1845, on the ballon of Servances, there were still five or 

 six patches of snow on the northern slope of this mountain 

 (1120 m.). The largest of these patches covered a surface 

 of about a hectare, with a very steep declivity. The flow of 

 water from this mass was very small ; although much rain 

 had fallen the preceding night, the water that escaped was 

 evidently not in proportion with that which such a quantity 

 of snow ought to produce in the state of temperature which 

 then prevailed. These small glaciers act like a large sponge, 

 absorbing the water, retaining it, and solidifying a portion 

 of it. 



The movement of the mass was evidently indicated, as at 

 Hoheneck, by its longitudinal distance from the rock, and its 

 lateral approach to it. 



This year (1846), it was my intention to continue expe- 

 riments on these small glaciers with the greatest care, to 

 measure their movements accurately, and to calculate the 

 loss of their surface in a given time ; but having failed in ac- 

 complishing this, I must confine myself to a few observations 

 on their stratification. In the months of January and Feb- 

 ruary, scarcely any snow fell. By the 5th of March, the or- 

 dinary season of deep snow, we traversed the summits of the 

 Vosges along with MM. Agassiz, Desor, and Dollfus, with- 



