Analytical Abstracts of Current 

 Literature. 



Ein typisches Fjordthal. von Erich von Drygalski. z. Z. Gronland. 

 14 pp. 

 Dr. -Drygalski describes in detail a valley on the west coast of Greenland, 

 one peculiarity of which is that there are three considerable depressions along 

 its axis. These are occupied by lakes, some of which certainly, and all of 

 which probably, have rock basins. Another peculiarity of the valley is that 

 it crosses a narrow highland between two fjords. One end lies at the sea level, 

 the other 211 m. above it, the slight drainage through the valley having a fall 

 of this amount at the end of the valley. This latter point is nearly 100 m. 

 below the divide in the valley, from which drainage flows in opposite direc- 

 tions. The valley is about 5^ km. long, about i km. wide, and has an aver- 

 age depth of about 336 m. While the valley is well above sea level, and 

 therefore no fjord, it is pointed out that, with a relatively higher sea, it would 

 become a fairly typical fjord. In the judgment of the author, the situation is 

 such as to preclude the idea that the valley is a river valley, or that it is a 

 river valley modified by ice action, and the author is "very much inclined to 

 extend this conclusion to the fjords " he has seen. Dr. Drygalski advocates the 

 view that this valley owes its origin primarily to the weathering of the gneiss 

 in which it lies, and suggests that joint-planes, by determining the position of 

 greatest weathering, determined also the position of the valley. Subsequently, 

 after the valley had come into existence by weathering, the ice removed the 

 weathered products, and an undetermined depth of solid rock below. The 

 author leaves it to be understood that this is, in his judgment, a principal, if 

 not the principal method by which the fjords with which he is familiar have 

 originated. R. D. S. 



A Preliminary Report on the Cretaceous and J'ertiary Formations of New 

 Jersey. By William Bullock Clark, Annual Report of the 

 State Geologist of New Jersey, 1892. 



This report presents the results of investigation conducted by Professor 

 Clark and his assistants during the year 1892 upon the coastal plain forma- 

 tions of New Jersey. The report, with a new geological map, covers the area 

 of the U. S. Geological Survey atlas sheets of New Brunswick and Sandy 



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