Address before the Association of American Geologists. 253 
cerning which so little of geological importance has been known. 
Henceforth, however, glacial action must form an important 
chapter in geology.. While reading this work and the abstracts 
of some papers by Agassiz, Buckland and Lyell, on the evidence 
of ancient glaciers in Scotland and England, I seemed neler ac- 
quiring a new geological sense ; and I look upon our : 
and striated rocks, our accumulations of gravel, and the. tout: en- 
semble of diluvial phenomena, with new eyes.* The fact is, 
that the history of- glaciers is the history of diluvial agency in 
miniature. The object of Agassiz is, first.to describe the minia- 
ture, ee to ei the picture till it reaches around the 
globe. » 
~The ile are vast masses of ice, often leagues in extent, 
dived of melting and freezing snow, which are sent out from the 
summits of the- a ae oy the force of expansion into the _ 
below, often sone ovinabe or t fifteen miles. 
she 
re ke eee ROMRE T Poon 
evated le plateaur, ins land -Mers de Gace, 
hikes Pe a a ee se en eS oe oe Ata ee ds 
keen Oo a sh HEIs 5 
me Je4) Pee spe eta ee ‘: 4 or sie 
t the l s es Ti , ar 
the grand source or birthplace, of th glaciers. In their d 2 
they plough their Way through th e soil, pil : I Pp bble , eee oS 
along their sides and at their mit bit , and eve upon their 
backs; which, upon the retreat, ~ CO! 
‘tute moraines, and correspond arom in ‘composition and shape 
to those accumulations of gravel and 
‘ctibed to diluvial action. ‘The stones and sand frozen into their 
lower surface, also, like so many fixed diamonds, smooth and fur- 
row the surface of wressannets presisely shesaine nner as they 
—_—— 
$$$ 
trust that. the cane of the Association ‘will pardon me for, having made 
some Salone tet in the form, though not in the leadin ing ng aan part 
“why ‘Address, since it was delivered. They will sac ‘that w 
Very favorable opinion of the Glacial Theory, so as Lun pa io I sears 
Thad n« ot seen the work of Agassiz named. in nse text. Throug en at kindn 
Prof. Sillim an, I have since been favored with the perusal o Ae copy of thi thi 
“work which’ With its splendid alpine illustrations, he received nt at author. S 
am rain edy ate to Dr. J. Pye — of London, for an abstract of the papers of 
Agassi re the London Geological Society last au- 
A flood of light having 
bis theory have — marist. 
jin slr tie eet =e alias 
ied that it will need important : modifications. 
