Reviews — The Norwegian Geological Survey. . 73 



II. — The Eecent Work of the Norwegian Geological Survey 



IN THE HaRDANGER DISTRICT. 



"W. C. Brogger: " Lagfolgen paa Hardangervidda," Norges geologiske XJnder- 



sogelse, 1893. 

 H. Reusch, J. Eekstad, and K. 0. Bjohlykke: "Fra Hardangervidden," Norges 



geol. U., 1902. 

 H. Kaldhol: " Suldalsfjeldene," Norges geol. U., 1903. 

 J. Eekstad : " Fra hoifjeldstroget mellem Haukeli og Hemsedalsfjeldene," JSTorges 



geol. U., 1903. 



THE Hardanger Vidde is a great desolate plateau witli an average 

 level of some 4,000 feet above the sea, situated east and south-east 

 of the head of the Hardanger Fjord. It is dotted over with patches 

 of snow, and one fairly extensive snowfield, the Hardanger Jokel, 

 lies upon it. A glacier, the Eembesdals Brae, descends from the 

 snowfield into a little mountain lake above the top of the waterfall 

 Eembesdalsfos, but though the scene is one of great beauty it is 

 seldom visited by the tourist, the path being very tedious and the 

 climb up the rock near the waterfall somewhat difficult. 



No part of the Hardanger Vidde, indeed, is well known to the 

 foreigner, though there is a comfortable little hotel on its edge just 

 above the great waterfall Voringfos, and a few English find their 

 way out on to the Vidde in search of sport. 



Until recently the geology of the district was almost unknown, 

 but now the Geological Survey of Norway have taken it in 

 hand and several notices of their work have appeared in the 

 Year Books. Still, these can only be looked upon as preliminary 

 reports, for an extension of the survey further to the north is 

 required to clear up some of the problems which have arisen. 

 In the Year Book for 1903 there is, too, a short report on the 

 geology of the mountainous tract which lies around the Eoldal 

 Lake, the Suldals Lake, and the Hyls Fjord, and this tract may 

 fairly be treated as a southern continuation of the Hardanger Vidde 

 District. 



The geological formations found over the surface of the Hardanger 

 Vidde and the Suldals Fjeld are as follows : — 



■GiAciAL AND Eecent. Peat, Gravel and Sand, Moraines, Moraine Debris, Eaised 



Terraces, etc. 

 -Silurian. ( 1 ) Mica Schist and Phyllite with subordinate beds of limestone. 



(2) Blue-grey Quartzite. 

 Cambrian. Dark-coloured schists and slate. 



Algonkian. The Telemark Formation. Gneiss, Quartzite, Hornblende 



schist. 

 Aech^an. Gneiss. 



Considerable masses of igneous rock are found associated with, 

 the above strata, and belong to at least three distinct periods — 



A. Granite newer than the Silurian strata of the district. 



B. Granite which was intruded between the date of the Algonkian and the 



Cambrian. 



C. Igneous rock, mainly basic, now greatly altered and folded together with 



the Archaean Gneiss. 



