TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 77 



the N.E. at an angle of 45°. This is scarcely exact, although correct on the whole. 

 They dip towards the south and west ; but the inclination towards the west is 

 three times as great as it is to the south. In consequence of these dips, the plane 

 surface of the beds presents a surface sloping downwards on the western and 

 southern sides of the mountain, and the fractured edges overhang. It is 

 mainly from this cause that so much difficulty has been experienced in alf attempts 

 to ascend the mountain until this year, and it was from observing this fact that I 

 formed the resolution to attempt the ascent by the north-western face ; for although 

 it appeared smooth and unbroken, yet I argued that the fractures would fall in 

 exactly the reverse manner to those which I have described, and this would render 

 the ascent easy, even although the hold they might afford should be but small. 

 The theory was correct, and the whole of the north-eastern face was found, in fact, 

 to be a long staircase, with the steps shelving inward. 



It is also in consequence of these steps that stones do not fall to any extent on 

 the north-eastern side ; it is evident that if any disintegrated fragments do break 

 away, they must sooner or later be arrested on the ledges, and, indeed, I did not 

 see any fall during the two days which I passed on the mountain. On the other 

 sides, on the contrary, the Matterhorn rains down showers, nay, torrents and 

 avalanches of stones both by day and night. Thus these dips become on one side 

 a source of safety, but on all others of great danger. 



We are enabled by a knowledge of these facts to account for the enormous 

 moraine of the Zmutt glacier, which has attracted the attention and the curiosity 

 of all observers ; for the Zmutt and its tributary, the Tiefenmatten, sweep around 

 the two faces of the Matterhorn on which we "should expect the greatest masses 

 of rock would fall. "We find, moreover, that the Furgge glacier, which is below 

 the N.E. face, has scarcely any moraine. The consideration of these facts also 

 suggests naturally that we see nearly the primal form of the Matterhorn on its 

 N.E. side, but that great changes have taken place on the others. We are sure, 

 indeed, of this, for we see the fallen fragments below. 



We can go a step further. The fallen masses are chiefly of the red rocks, and 

 they must have either come from the upper or the lower of the three divisions. 

 On the side of the Zmutt and the Tiefenmatten glaciers, however, the lower divi- 

 sion is almost entirely covered by snow and glacier. We are forced, therefore, to 

 the conclusion that they came from the upper ; and it is doing no violence to the 

 imagination to suppose that at some early period the now isolated obelisk of the 

 Matterhorn was only the termination and the culminating point of the ridge of 

 which the Dent d'Erin and the mountains to the south of it formed also a part. 



On the ancient Glaciers North and East of Llangollen, ami more particular!)/ 



of the Neighbourhood of the Hope Mountain. By W. Mattieu Williams, 



F.C.S. 



In this paper the author described in detail the evidences upon which he bases 

 his hypothesis of the existence of a large glacier, formerly occupying the elevated 

 and irregular district lying between the north and east side of the valley of Llan- 

 gollen, and the east side and south end of the vale of C'lwj'd, the present water- 

 shed of the river Alyn. The configuration of the district is peculiarly favourable 

 for the formation and maintenance of a great glacier, and the remarkable course of 

 the Alyn is due to this same configuration. On this account Mr. Williams has 

 named it the " Alyn Glacier." The position of the large accumulations of moraine 

 matter at the foot of the Hope mountain, in the neighbourhood of Mold, and all 

 along the course of the Alyn, between Mold and Wrexham, formed the chief data 

 upon which the extent and position of the glacier were determined. The decided 

 indications of glacier-planing over the whole of the Hope mountain and the neigh- 

 bouring hills, all of which are roches moutonnees of greater or lesser magnitude, and 

 the existence of perched blocks, some of which are sufficiently remarkable to have 

 become the subjects of popular legends, were pointed out. 



Further and very decisive evidence of the course of the glacier is indicated by 

 the composition of the boulders of the moraine heaps, and most strikingly by the 

 boulders of the peculiar curly cannel of the Leeswood and Tryddn district, which 



