100 p. A. ØYEN. 



» 



photographs, used in an uncritical manner, may lead to many a 

 wrong conclusion. Thus Richter states concerning the Glacier of 

 Boium and the Greater Glacier of Suphelle, that „der Vergleich 

 der photographischen Aufnahmen von De Seue aus dem Jahre 

 1868 mit denen des Bergener Photographen Knudson aus den 

 achtziger Jahren und meinen eignen Beobachtungen zeigt — — 

 einen fast ganz unveränderten Stand"; but Rekst ad, by com- 

 paring some other photographs, concluded that the Glacier of 

 Boium increased between 1868 and 1870, decreased between 1870 

 and 1880, increased between 1880 and 1888, and afterwards 

 decreased up to the year 1899, and that the Greater Glacier of 

 Suphelle during that time had been oscillating in a similar man- 

 ner (1. c. p. 7). It is not easy to judge of the value of those state- 

 ments, as I have not had an opportunity of comparing the diffe- 

 rent original photographs in question. I should, however, think 

 it highly probable, that there has really been a slight increase 

 of the glaciers in Fjærland about 1890, for in 1889 Slingsby 

 states that the Suphellebræ „is advancing at preserit". In the 

 summer of 1893, I found both the Glacier of Boium and the 

 Greater Glacier of Suphelle to be decreasing, though only very 

 slowly. Only two years later, in 1895, Richter ascertained a 

 similar state of decrease in these two glaciers. And in the au- 

 tumn of 1897, Mr. Mundal informed me that both the Glacier 

 of Boium and the two glaciers of Suphelle had of late years, up 

 to 1897, been slowly decreasing. In the autunm of 1899, Mr. 

 Mundal stated the decrease of the Glacier of Boium during the 

 last two years to have been of even a slower character than 

 during previous years. The course of oscillation in the Greater 

 Glacier of Suphelle was altogether similar. In September last, 

 Mr. Mundal informed me that the Glacier of Boium, during the 

 present year, 1900, has somewhat increased in length; the pro- 

 jecting point in which the glacier now terminates, is, however, very 

 thin, and the fact that the lateral borders of the glacier even 

 during the pi'esent year, have become narrower than they were 



