Volcanos and Earthquakes. 369 



According to the beautiful investigations of De Beaumont, 

 two different systems are to be distinguished in the Alps, viz. 

 that of the Western Alps, and that of the principal chain from 

 the Valais to Austria. Mont Blanc lies at the point of intersec- 

 tion of these two systems, which here meet at an angle of 45°- 

 50° ; also Leuk. The period of elevation of those two systems 

 falls somewhat late. That of the strata belonging to the first 

 system took place after the deposition of the newest tertiary 

 formations of these regions, and that of the strata belonging to 

 the second system between the deposition of the earlier dilu- 

 vium (des dltesten atifgeschwemmten Landes) and the flowing 

 of the diluvial streams, and at the time of the transport of 

 the erratic Alpine rocks^ The most favourable conditions for 

 the origin of thermal springs evidently exist when the uprais- 

 ing, caused by the masses thrown up, extends to the newest 

 formations. Therefore we are justified, under these circum- 

 stances, in expecting to find many thermal springs in this dis- 

 trict, and especially at those points where two different systems 

 of elevation have intersected each other at different periods, 

 and admitted the meteoric water to penetrate to the interior. 

 The thermal springs in the Pennine Alps are found partly in 

 the direction of the principal chain of the Alps, partly, and 

 more abundantly, in the points of intersection of this system 

 with that of the Western Alps, and in this last system. Thus 

 at Naters in the upper Valais (86°Fahr.); at Leuk (115°- 

 124^) ; in the valley of Bagnes at Lavey, south-east of Bex 

 (113'') ; Saute de Pucelle, between Moutiers and St Mau- 

 rice^ in Chamotini ; St Gervaise on Mont Blanc (94°-98°) ; 

 Courmayeur and St Dididr, on the southern declivity of 

 Mont Blanc (93°) ; Aix les Bains in Savoy (112°-117°), with 

 numerous hot springs in the neighbourhood ; Moutiers in the 

 Tareniaise, Brida in Tarentaise, and some at Grenoble. 



It certainly deserves particular notice, that at one point of 

 intersection (Mont Blanc) so many, and at the other (Leuk) 

 the warmest springs are met with. Moreover, many thousand 

 springs present themselves, some in the glacier streams, some un- 

 der the glaciers themselves, and some may be stopped up. Thus, 

 most of the above-mentioned thermal springs have been discover- 

 ed only since Saussure's journeys ; a few very lately, such as 



