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Observations on the Glaciers of Spitsbergen, compared with 

 those of Switzerland and Norway. By C. Martens, M.D. , 

 Member of the Northern Commission.* 



Spitzuergen is a large island lying between 76° 30', and 

 80° 30' north latitude, and from 8° to 21° longitude east from 

 Paris. Its western side is broken by a great number of deep 

 bays, such as Horn Sound, Ice Sound, the bays of Croix, Ham- 

 burgh, and Madelaine. The shore is no where flat ; in every 

 direction conical mountains rise abruptly from the sea, attain- 

 ing a medium height, which varies from 500 to 1200 metres. 

 These mountains are separated by narrow valleys, the greater 

 part of which open towards the sea. All of them, without 

 exception, are occupied by glaciers which communicate with 



* Bibliotheque Universelle de Geneve, Tome xxviii. No. 55, p. 139. We 

 beg leave to refer our readers to the following memoirs relating to glaciers, 

 arranged chronologically, which have appeared in the Edinburgh Philoso- 

 phical Journal and in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal : — Edin- 

 burgh Philosophical Journal , vol. i. p. 121, Scoresby's Narrative of an Ex- 

 cursion upon the Island of Jan Mayen ; p. 187, Account of the Forma- 

 tion of the Lake of Mauvoisin, by the Descent of a Glacier, and of the In- 

 undations of the Val de Barnes in 1595 and 1818 ; vol. iii. p. 274, M. Ve- 

 netz's Account of the Descent of the Glacier of the Weisshom, on the 27th 

 December 1819, and the Destruction of the Village of Randa. Edinburgh 

 New Philosophical Journal, vol. ii. p. 86, Dr Latta's Observations on the 

 Arctic Sea and Ice; p. 107, Professor Esmark's Remarks, tending to ex- 

 plain the Geological History of the Earth : p. 255, M. Bohr's Account of a 

 Visit to the Glaciers of the Justedal ; p. 382, Mr Scoresby's Remarks on Dr 

 Latta's Observations on the Arctic Sea and Ice. Vol. iii. p. 91, Dr Latta's 

 Observations on the Glaciers and Climate of Spitzbergen. Vol. x. p. 332, 

 Professor Hugi's Observations on the Glaciers of the Alps. Vol. xi. p. 74, 

 Continuation of same article. Vol. xxi. p. 210, M. Charpentier's Account 

 of one of the most important results of the Investigations of M. Venetz re- 

 garding the present and earlier condition of the Glaciers of the Valais. 

 Vol. xxiii. p. 346, Prof-ssor Bischof on Glaciers. Vol. xxiv. p. 158, Pro- 

 fessor Bischof on Glaciers ; p. 364, Professor Agassiz on Glaciers, Moraines, 

 and erratic blocks. Vol. xxv. p. 314, M. Elie de Beaumont on the Glaciers 

 of Spitzbergen. Vol. xxvii. p. 383, Professor Agassiz's Observations on 

 Glaciers. Vol. xxviii. p. 15, M. Andre de Luc on the Glaciers of the Alps. 

 Vol. xxix. p. 184. Notice of the Tour of Professor Agassiz to' the Swiss 

 Glaciers in 1839 ; p. 274, M. Studer on some Phenomena of the Diluvinn 

 Epoch ; p. 280, M. Renoir on the Glaciers which anciently covered the 

 southern side of the mountain-chain of the Vosges. — Editor. 



