vol. 55.] glacial phenomena oe spitsbergen. 691 



Discussion. 



Mr. Maee said that not only had the Author confirmed the 

 observations of others, but he had also made many new observations. 

 Every glacial area should be studied by geologists, and each would 

 no doubt contribute new facts of geological importance. The 

 Author had spent two seasons in Spitsbergen ; he was now about 

 to start for the Himalayas, and he (the speaker) felt sure that the 

 Fellows of the Society would wish him a successful expedition. In 

 conclusion he wished to thank the Author for the admirable way in 

 which he had presented his paper to the Society. 



Mr. Lampltjgh expressed his gratitude to the Author for the new 

 facts, which all tended to confirm the deductions to be drawn from 

 the glacial phenomena of parts of the British Islands with which he 

 was acquainted. Time alone limited the number of pertinent 

 questions which might be asked in this connexion : he must be 

 content now to enquire, first, whether the Author had observed 

 any instance where the streams flowing on the ice-sheets had inter- 

 sected emerging ridges of solid rock ; and, secondly, to what extent 

 the ice-fields would grow again under present conditions if they 

 were entirely removed in this area. 



Mr. Salter asked whether the Author had seen anything 

 resembling the Boulder Clay and glacial gravel-deposits of Eastern 

 and Central England, while examining the debris from the inland 

 ice-sheets described by him. Such rapid denudation and other 

 phenomena shown to exist in Spitsbergen, acting on the soft 

 Jurassic Claj's of Central England, would certainly be sufficient to 

 bring about many, if not all, the effects of glacial and torrential 

 action observed. 



The Author, in reply to Mr. Lamplugh, thought that should an 

 englacial river cut down to a transverse ridge occurring under the ice, 

 such a col as was suggested would be produced ; no such case, how- 

 ever, was actually met with. He was strongly of opinion that the 

 ice-sheets described were at one time much more extensive than at 

 present, and that the greater part of the ice now covering the 

 country was the result of accumulation in former times ; were 

 the district freed from ice and given a fresh start at the present 

 time, he did not think that ice would now accumulate to any great 

 extent. This was proved by the existence of the ice-free area 

 traversed in 1896, when the island was crossed from coast to coast 

 without encountering more than one glacier which covered the 

 extreme watershed. 



