on the Erratic Phenomena of Scandinavia. 113 



the glacier of the Arve has formed striae running from ESE. 

 to WNW. ; while, on issuing from the valley, we find, above 

 tlie gorge of Montets, furrows many metres in length, the 

 direction of which is from SSE. to NNW. Besides these 

 facts, the striae traced by the tributary of a glacier often cut 

 the strifTB engraved by the principal glacier under very wide 

 angles. Thus, the glacier of Argentiere, which descended by 

 the Col de Salvent into that of the Rhone, has left, as the 

 marks of its passage, striae almost perpendicular to those of 

 the latter. The furrows of the valley of Urbach cut those of 

 the valley of Hasli, &c. &c. 



I could multiply these examples, but I prefer to derive 

 some instances from existing glaciers, in order to avoid the 

 objection of some of the opponents of the ancient extension 

 of the Swiss glaciers, who deny, notwithstanding the identity 

 of the facts, the glacial origin of the striae found in the plain be- 

 tween the Alps and the Jura. Let us conceive, for an instant, 

 that the glacier of the Aar, or the Mer de Glace of Chamonix 

 had disappeared. We would find in the valley they occupied, 

 longitudinal striie traced by the principal glacier, and trans- 

 verse striae formed by the tributary glaciers which cut the 

 first under angles more or less acute. We would observe 

 ascending stria3 at the contraction of the valleys, and strise 

 crossing each other at the point where the two glaciers met ; 

 in a word, all that exists on a large scale in the Swiss plain 

 and in Scandinavia. The phenomena and the explanation 

 would be the same, only they would apply to a greater sur- 

 fiice of country. 



Accordingly, in the plains of Switzerland, as in those of 

 Scandinavia, the striae are found running in various direc- 

 tions ; but in Sweden, as in Helvetia, these striae are identi- 

 cal in every respect with those engraven by existing glaciers ; 

 and I do not think that we can, consistently ^yitll good logic, 

 ascribe to one agent effects identical with those whicli an 

 agent totrlly different produces every day under our own eyes. 



In order to complete the proof that M. Durocher's system 

 is arbitrary and fruitful in erroneous consequences, let us 

 apply it for an instant to Switzerland. We find on the 

 southern shores of the lake of Brienz, strice nmning from NE. 



VOL. XLIII. NO. LXXXV.— JULY 1847. H 



