THE VARIATIONS OF GLACIERS 403 



3 to 10 meters per year. The Gliederferner, in the Zillertal, has ad- 

 vanced 34 meters since 1899 and has formed a moraine in front; its 

 motion is a third less than it was from 1897 to 1899, during which time 

 it advanced 36 meters ; the very end is still swollen, but the rest of the 

 glacier is thinner than normal. The other glaciers cf this group are 

 retreating or are stationary. The glaciers cf the Venediger group are 

 all retreating at rates varying from o to 22 meters per year. The 

 Grosselendkees in the Ankogel group has advanced 1.4 meters since 

 1903. The other glaciers of this group and these of the Glockner are 

 retreating.^ 



Italian Alps. — The snow-fields of the Cavallo, which were reported 

 as having increased considerably in 1903, were found in 1904 to have 

 diminished very much. The glaciers on the south side of Monte 

 Rosa seem to be advancing, but they have not yet reached their limits 

 of 1 901. In the Graian Alps there is evidence of a considerable 

 diminution of the glaciers. The glaciers on the south side of Mont 

 Blanc are in general retreating, and in some cases markedly. The 

 glacier des Jorasses, which has been retreating, shows evidence of an 

 approaching advance. The general result regarding the Italian 

 glaciers of Mont Blanc is that the phase of retreat is about finished, and 

 that the thickening which began in the upper reservoirs is now ap- 

 proaching the ends and about to cause an advance. The snowfall in 

 the higher regions has been very heavy. ^ 



French Alps. — A careful study of the glacier Noir and the glacier 

 Blanc has been made and maps prepared on the scale of 1/10,000.^ 

 These two glaciers, which are very near together have shown striking 

 differences in their behavior. The glacier Noir has been retreating 

 steadily since i860; and the glacier Blanc, on the other hand, retreated 

 from 1865 to 1886, but advanced between 1889 and 1896; since then it 

 has been retreating. It occupies a very high reservoir, 3,000 to 3,300 

 meters in altitude, and has a very clean surface. The increased pre- 

 cipitation which occurred toward the end of the nineteenth century 

 caused it to advance. The glacier Noir, on the other hand, lies, for its 



1 Report of Dr. H. Angerer. 



2 Report of Dr. F. Porro. 



3 Charles Jacob and George Flusin, "Etude sur le Glacier Noir et le Glacier 

 Blanc," Annuaire de la Societe des Touristes du Dauphine, 1905. 



