GLACIATION OF AN ICELANDIC VALLEY 



125 



The Botnsdalr is a glacial valley, a continuation of the northern 

 branch of the Hvalfjord, one of the east- west fiords of the Faxafjord- 

 Ait'/O'Wft. It is some 10 miles in length, east- north- 



easterly in direction, has a gentle grade from 

 sea-level, and a width of a mile at its mouth, 

 widening somewhat up-stream. The cliffs 

 where the indurated ground-moraines occur 

 rise very precipitously to a maximum eleva- 

 tion of some 1,200 feet, the lower 300 or 400 

 feet being largely masked by talus. As it was 

 impossible to climb the cliff on the southern 

 side of the valley, the section here described is 

 on the northern cliff, known as the Selsfjall. 



The indurated moraines^ contain 



subangular pebbles and bowlders of 



all sizes up to 2 or 3 feet in diameter, 



which often show distinct striations. 



The cementing matrix is fine and 



sandy, all the grains 



showing some abrasion, 



differing in this from the 



_ sea /e.vel 



Fig. 3. — Main section on the Selsfjall. 

 a, basalt, several flows; b, flat-lying tuffaceous sandstone; c, third moraine; d, basalt, several flows; 

 e, ripple-marked sandstone, cut by basalt dike; /, contorted tufaceous sandstone; g, second moraine; 

 h, basalt, several flows; i, first moraine; j, basalt. 



I For a description of Quaternary indurated moraines in southern Iceland, see H. 

 Pjetursson, "The Glacial Palagonite Formation of Iceland," Scottish Geographical 

 Magazine, Vol. XVI (1900), No. 5. 



