470 DHE, JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY: 
of glacial accumulation. The occurrence of the border of the 
inland ice sheet at given elevations leaves us in doubt whether its 
presence signifies that the conditions of glaciation are there pres- 
ent normally, or whether the ice has simply been pushed for- 
ward to that point by the mer de glace back of it. Local ice- 
caps, onthe other hand, show that the conditions of glaciation 
are unquestionably present. They thus enable us to determine 
quite accurately what elevations (under existing conditions) are 
adequate to produce glaciation, and to fix the limit of adequacy. 
So also, equal elevations being chosen as a basis of comparison, 
the local ice-caps furnish the means of estimating the relative 
influence of meteoric conditions. i 
The ice-cap of Redcliff peninsula is an excellent example of 
the plateau variety of the local type. It suffers no interruption 
from mountain peaks. It spreads in an unbroken sheet over the 
whole interior and creeps outwards in all direction. In this last 
feature it is felicitous in permitting, within so narrow limits, the 
study of glacial tongues moving toward all points of the com- 
pass. 
The Fan glacier—The most westerly of the tongues from the 
ice-cap of Redcliff peninsula has been designated the Fan glacier 
from the beautiful deployment of its lower portion.’ It is but a 
lobe of the peninsular ice-cap descending a broad valley excava- 
ted in the shales and sandstones that constitute the uppermost 
division of the clastic series, which has been previously described. 
While no measurements were made, it will probably not be very 
far from the truth to regard its length as three miles and its 
breadth as falling little short of one mile. The glacier declines 
with a gentle and regular slope that imparts great beauty to its 
longitudinal profile (Fig. 23). This doubtless indicates much 
smoothness in the floor over which it is advancing, as well 
as freedom from lateral constrictions and topographic strains of 
all kinds. Its transverse profile, as seen from the valley in front 
is singularly symmetrical and graceful (Fig. 24). It is doubtful 
*A figure of this glacier is given by Professor Angelo Heilprin in Popular 
Science Monthly, November 1894, p. 12. 
