GLACIERS OF THE CAUCASUS. 277 



rival the largest of the Alps can be found. That of Kaltschidon, for instance, 

 is nearly five miles in length, and this one descends to a lower point (5,702 

 feet) than any other in the range. The average elevation of the ends of the 

 principal glaciers descending from Elbruz is 8,216 feet. In the Alps, on the 

 other hand, the lower limit of the great ice masses is much below that. 



The snow line on this range is given for the north slope at a little over 

 12,000 feet, and for the south side at about 11,000 feet. The elevation of 

 the snow line in the Caucasus varies considerably in different parts, as might 

 be expected when we consider the climatic conditions which necessarily pre- 

 vail in a chain the eastern and western portions of which are so differently 

 situated with reference to those causes which influence precipitation. It is 

 higher on the northern slope, because that is the drier side, a similar con- 

 dition of things revealing itself, on a larger scale, in the Himalaj'a. The 

 difference in the Caucasus is on the average fully a thousand feet. The 

 glaciers on the northern slope, on the other hand, descend considerably 

 lower than they do on the opposite side of the range. This is due to the 

 fact that the large gathering-grounds of the neve are on the northern side, 

 the topographical features on that slope more resembling those of the Alps 

 than they do on the othei'. 



The glacial conditions of the Ural are quite remarkable, since although this 

 range extends beyond the Arctic Circle, with a considerable elevation, it has 

 no glaciers or even what might properly be called perpetual snow. The 

 range is commonly divided into three portions-^ a southern, central, and 

 northern. Of these the latter may be taken as beginning at the head-waters 

 of the Petschora River and extending to latitude 68° 30'. This part of the 

 Ural has the regular north and south trend of the range, and its culminating 

 points I'ise to elevations of from 3,000 to 5,000 feet. But even these high 

 peaks do not appear to have \.\\\\ glaciers formed around them. Snow is said 

 to lie in the sheltered gorges through the summer, and in masses of consider- 

 able size ; but, on the whole, the I'ange is remarkably free from it. The 

 conditions in fact are, in this respect, so peculiar that it will Ije worth while 

 to quote what Dr. E. Hoftmann, the chief of the official exploration of the 

 Northern Ural, has to say in regard to the absence of glaciers and perma- 

 nent snow in this range : " The mean elevation of the high points [Gipf'el- 

 hohe] of the entire Northern Ural may be taken at 3,000 feet. Although 

 several peaks which are north of the limits of the Arctic Circle exceed this 

 elevation by some hundreds of feet, yet not one reaches the lino of perpetual 



