THE WORK OF SNOW AND ICE 



131 



was a great body of ice also in the Cordilleran mountains (Fig. 

 136), but it always remained somewhat distinct from that which 

 spread from the other centers. 



There was extensive glaciation in Europe at about the same 

 time as in North America. The glaciers of the Alps were then 

 many times as large as those of the present time. On the south 

 they extended quite beyond the mountain valleys, and spread them- 

 selves out on the plains of northern Italy where they left their 

 moraines. Similar conditions existed in the other mountains of 

 Europe where glaciers now exist, and in some where glaciers are 

 not now present. 



In northern Europe, as in the northern part of North America, 

 there was an extensive ice-sheet, but its area was only about half 



Fig. 137. Sketch-map showing the area of Europe covered by the continental 

 glacier at the time of its maximum development. (Jas. Geikie.) 



that of the ice-sheet of North America. The principal center from 

 which the ice spread was the high mountains of Scandinavia. 



