138 Professor Forbes on the First Diacoccrij of the 



consisted in a texture which the ice itself presented through- 

 out its mass, of harder and softer layers, whose wasting, when 

 it occurred in the neighbourhood of the moraines where the 

 glacier was covered with sand, occasioned hollow grooves, into 

 which, for obvious reasons, the sand was speedily washed, aiwl 

 there it lay. M. Agassiz was very naturally and properly 

 slow to admit, in explanation of a fact which had for three 

 years been before his eyes, the existence of a prevalent struc- 

 ture to which he had not adverted. Accordingly, his convic- 

 tions were proportionably gradual ; and, as Mr Heath observes, 

 " the afternoon was taken up in what I then thought a very 

 superfluous endeavour to make out whether it was superficial 

 or not." 



Two days after the discovery of the structure, namely, on 

 the 11th of August, we Avere joined by Professor Studer, the 

 distinguished geologist of Berne, and by other friends of M. 

 Agassiz. The structure in question having been discussed, it 

 is important to know the impression which it left as to novel- 

 ty or originality upon the mind of so competent a judge. M. 

 Studer writes to me : — 



Extract Fourth. — Professor Studer to Professor Forbes, 10th March 

 1842. Extracted hy M. Stiulcrs permission. 



" M. Desor* in'a ecrit il y a quelques scmaines de cctte contestation cle 

 priorite ; je lui ai rcpondu que je ne me melcrais pas de cette affaire, mais 

 que bien certainement vous m'aviez fait remarquer pour la premiere fois 

 la structure en question, et que j'avais cru en effe't que son importance 

 avait echappee a Agassiz, comme a tons ses devancicrs." 



I will only cite one other testimony as to the origin of the 

 discovery on the Glacier of the Aar, also by an eye-witness, 

 Mr Robertson of Newton House, near Elgin, a friend of M. 

 Agassiz, whom I did not know before, and whom I have not 

 seen since, but who, having learnt the nature of the contest 

 as to priority which has occurred, generously and voluntarily 

 sent me the following statement of facts, which I have like- 

 wise his permission to publish. 



* A friend of M. Agassiz. 



