kev. A. Irving—‘ Bergstirse,” or “ Landslips.” 163 
duction of the phenomenon. The most gigantic instance of this 
‘kind on record is perhaps that of Goldau, which occurred in the 
year 1806. This enormous landslip has been so often described that 
details need not be given here. The mass which descended has been 
estimated at 15,000,000 cubic métres. By it 497 human lives were 
lost, and 14 more people were dug out alive; while 111 dwelling- 
houses, 2 churches, and 220 hay huts and stables were buried 
‘beneath it. 
Other instances on a smaller scale were those of Réthen in the 
Goldau district in 1395, and Rorschach in 1857. 
4, Felsstiirze.—These are much more frequent than Felsschlipfe. 
They can be counted by hundreds in the Alps alone both in historic 
and pre-historic times, the majority of them occurring in the more 
uninhabited parts of the mountains. Huge masses of rock break 
loose from the mountain-side and roll or fly down into the valley 
below. They usually separate from the mountain by irregular cross 
clefts. In these cases the action of water (except in widening the 
fissures by expansion during the process of freezing) is of much less 
significance than in the three types previously described. Very 
often the descending mass shoots forward over the edge of a precipice, 
so that an eye-witness can see through beneath the mass during its 
descent, as happened in the Bergsturz at Elm in 1881. Other 
instances, more or less remarkable, cited by H. Heim, may be worth 
mentioning here. 
1486. Destruction of Zarera in the Poschiavo Valley, in which 
-800 lives are said to have been lost. 
1512. Monte Crenone above Biasca, in which 600 lives were lost 
and 400 houses destroyed. The river Blegno was dammed up by it 
and formed a lake, which remained for three years, when the barrier 
‘was broken through and the whole valley down to Lake Maggiore 
devastated by floods. 
1618. Destruction of Plurs in Bergell, the most destructive 
Bergsturz within historic times. The number of lives lost has been 
variously given at from 980 to 2500. The village was, and still 
remains, completely buried, and the river Maira was temporarily 
dammed. 
1714 and 1749. Diablerets. The river Licerne was obstructed, 
and in this way the present Lake of Derborence was formed: 120 
huts, 18 human beings, and 130 head of cattle were overwhelmed. 
The formation of Lake lAlleghe from a similar cause in the last 
‘century is well known. 
“We find,” says H. Heim, ‘no Alpine valley without such heaps 
‘of mountain débris, and traditions having reference to them. A still 
older series belongs to a time extending far back beyond the range 
even of tradition.”” He particularly describes that of Flims in the 
Vorder-Rhein Thal, which is 600 métres high. On its back are 
found moraines and huge blocks transported from the interior of 
the mountains, proving the date of the Bergsturz to be anterior to 
the Glacial Epoch ; and at the present time above IJlanz there are 
still to be seen traces of the ancient lake which was formed by the 
