160 JReport of the Researches of M. Agassiz. 



the margin, had been placed nearer the centre, where the ad- 

 vance is at its maximum, we should have obtained a result at 

 least double of the one specified. In truth, the observations 

 which have been made upon a stake fixed in the ice near the 

 Hotel des Neuchdtelois^ on the course of the Finster-Aar, quite 

 demonstrate this. This stake, situate 300 feet from the moraine, 

 was observed seven times in the space of 52 days, between the 

 13th of July and the 3d of September, and its progress was 

 40 feet 9 inches ; in other words, 8 inches a-day. In the trans- 

 versal band, the greatest advance, as stated above, has only 

 been 30 feet 5 inches in 45 days, or 7 inches a-day, confirm- 

 ing the results supplied by the progress of the blocks, namely, 

 that the movement diminishes from above downwards. 



All the observations which we have just mentioned were 

 made upon that part of the glacier which is below the 

 Abschwung. But it was equally necessary to have measure- 

 ments which would determine the movement of the upper 

 parts, or those near the region of the neve. For this purpose, 

 we ascended on the 2d of September to the higher part of the 

 glacier of Strahleck, there to determine, by means of the the- 

 odolite, the position of a series of blocks, the most elevated of 

 which are situate beyond the second tributary glacier which 

 descends from the Schreckhorn, at the height of at least 9000 

 feet. We could not have found a more convenient locality ; 

 for not only is the block very large, but there is another in 

 the same line, nearer the middle, so that we shall thus obtain, 

 in this part of the glacier also, the relative movement of the 

 margins and the centre. The second block is placed some 

 thousands of feet farther down, in front of the indented ridge 

 of the Lauteraarhorner. The third is situate near the margin 

 of the valley, upon the most inclined portion of the glacier. 

 The fourth is placed in the great plain of the glacier of the 

 Finster-Aar, upon the course of the glacier of the Altmann, 

 in front of the Grunerhorn. 



These notices, I trust, will suffice to exhibit the extent of 

 the observations which it is necessary to make, in order to 

 arrive at positive conclusions concerning the advance of the 

 entire glacier. Those who have pursued with any degree of 

 attention our studies upon glaciers, will thence infer that 



