14 Remarks on the Formatmi (rf Alluvial Depos^ites. 



are, bearing a little coarse grass intermixed with herbaceous 

 plants. A more fertile portion _, occupying in general the lower 

 part of the cone, is covered with orchards and cultivated fields, 

 with cottages and hamlets. Some of the largest villages in the 

 alpine valleys are situated upon such cones near their base. The 

 path leading to the parish church of Chamonix, rises from the 

 village a short way up a very regular and richly cultivated cone. 

 Mayenfeld, a town in the Canton of Grisons, is on the declivity 

 of an obtuse cone, which is crossed by one of the great roads lead- 

 ing from Italy to Germany between Chur and Feld-kirch. Matt 

 and Linth are two villages, beautifully situated very near one 

 another, on an obtuse cone in the Linth- thai. These cones be- 

 ing at the base of ravines or lateral valleys, which descend ra- 

 pidly from the highest ridges, it is easy to trace the origin of 

 their materials. The Chamonix cone is formed by the excava- 

 tion of the Breven ; that of Mayenfeld is in the same way de- 

 rived from the Falkniss. In going from Sitten (Sierre) to the 

 Baths of Leuk, Canton of Valais, we see a splendid example of 

 the formation of an obtuse cone. Receding northward from the 

 Rhone up the transversal valley of the Dala, we observe, on 

 looking back, an obtuse cone of extraordinary dimensions, with 

 a vast ravine rising from its apex directly up the southern de- 

 clivity of the valley. As we ascend, we are able to trace fur- 

 ther and further the course of the stream which passes through 

 this ravine, until we see its whole length in one nearly straight 

 line. We view it issuing from its glacier, descending through 

 successive stages of the mountain ridge, and at length diffusing 

 itself over the barren sector of the flattened cone. 



The sketch No. 10, represents the head of the Lake of Bri- 

 entz. On the left is seen an obtuse cone, which terminates on 

 the border of the lake, and extends almost to the mouth of the 

 Aar. Krenholtz stands upon it, formerly a more important place 

 than the neighbouring village of Brientz, but once nearly oblite- 

 rated by the descent of an unusual quantity of calcareous debris 

 and mud from the ravine above it. 



With respect to the origin of the obtuse cone, it may be ob- 

 served, that its formation depends upon the comparative quantity 

 of water and debris brought down the ravine. If the quantity 



