160 Prof. Bischoff on the Temperature of 



In order to obtain the elements from which to describe such a 

 curve, I had a hole dug four feet deep, near the glacier of Grhi- 

 delwald, and completed my preparations in the same manner as 

 on the Faulhorn (Chap. XVIII.). Midway between the gla- 

 cier and Grindelwald, at the foot of the Mettenherg, a second 

 hole was dug, and in the garden of ]\Ir Ziegler, clergyman at 

 Grindelwald, I had a third made of equal depth. Mr Ziegler 

 has had the kindness to undertake to observe the temperature of 

 the water in the bottles buried in these three holes once every 

 month, and has already communicated to me the first half-year's 

 observations : — 



In the Garden.i 

 52°.02. 

 4(i°.85. 

 41°.45. 

 38°.30. 

 30°.95. 

 38''.07. 

 4J°.2G. 



From these averages no conclusions can be drawn. But if 

 the mean temperatures at these three points should fall on the 



• At the same spot where I found 46°.62 at a depth of one foot, on the 

 26th August 1836. 



t This is the nearest point to the glacier where potatoes grow, and where 

 maple and cherry trees are to be met with. At the same spot I found 51°.80, 

 at the depth of one foot, on the 26th August 



J Near the spot where, on the same day, I observed 56°.75, at a depth of 

 one foot. 



§ It was impossible to observe at the end of January, on account of the 

 great quantity of snow which covered the places of observation. Even on the 

 1st March, when the covering of snow had considerably decreased, it cost 

 some pains to reach the places, especially the one near the glacier, where the 

 snow lay about five feet deep. Jlr Ziegler, however, does not think that it 

 has caused a gap of any consequence ; at least, if we compare the observa- 

 tions of 28th December and 1st March, there seems very good reason to be- 

 lieve, that the tem^jerature could not have been lower between those two pe- 

 riods, as the water at the two former places of observation would otherwise 

 have frozen and broken the bottles. However, if the mean temperature 

 took place, as supposed above, on the 10th or 24th November, the minimum 

 would have occurred on the 10th or 24th February ; and in that case the tem- 

 perature might perhaps have sunk to 32°, or even below 32°. But at this 

 temperature the water in the bottles, being quite undisturbed, might have re- 

 mained liquid. 



