THE VARIATIONS OF GLACIERS. XIII' 



HARRY FIELDING REID 



Johns Hopkins University 



The following is a summary of the Twelfth Annual Report of the 

 International Committee on Glaciers.^ 



REPORT ON GLACIERS FOR 1906 



Swiss Alps. — Of the sixty-three glaciers observed in 1906, fifty- 

 three were retreating and ten were doubtful. Of the doubtful 

 glaciers nine seemed to show a slight advance but it was not sufficient 

 to establish a true change of phase. ^ 



Eastern Alps. — Only thirty glaciers were measured in 1906; they 

 were in the Ubergossene Aim, the Silvretta, Oetztal, Stubai, Zillertal, 

 Venediger, Glockner, Ankogel, and Ortler groups and in southern 

 Tyrol. Twenty-six glaciers were retreating, three were stationary, 

 and one was advancing. The general retreat was stronger than in 

 1905. Of the five glaciers reported as advancing and three as sta- 

 tionary in the Oetztal in 1905, five are now retreating. The Grossel- 

 endkees in the Ankogel, which was stationary in 1905, shows a marked 

 advance. It is the only advancing glacier amongst those observed.-* 



Italian Alps. — All the glaciers that were observed in 1906 in 

 Val Tournache, in Val Formazza, and in the Lombard Alps were 

 retreating. The Forno glacier in Valfurva retreated rapidly between 

 1864 and 1895, ^-^d a little later became stationary. Its neve-fields 

 seem to have diminished in the last ten years, suggesting a coming 

 retreat. 5 



French Alps. — An examination of earlier observations has brought 

 to light the changes which took place in the Glacier des Bossons 

 between 18 18 and 1904. At the later date the glacier was 600 meters 



1 The eariier reports appeared in the Journal oj Geology, Vols. III-XVI. 



2 Zeitschrift fur Gletscherkunde, 1908, Vol. II, pp. 161-98. 



3 Report of Professor F. A. Forel and M. E. Muret. 



4 Report of Professor E. Bruckner. 



5 Report of Professor O. Marinelli. 



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