Vol. 54.] ON THE GLACIAL GEOLOGY OE SPITSBEEGElsr. 199 



by Hamberg ^ in 1894. The last-named author first called attention 

 to the three most striking characters of the Spitsbergen glaciers, 

 namely : — the false-bedding and lamination of the ice, the irregular 

 distribution of the intraglacial material, and the wall-like termina- 

 tion of the glaciers. Some of these features may be discerned in 

 Mr. B. Leigh Smith's admirable photographs, of which no published 

 account has been issued, although a set of them is available for 

 reference in the Map-room of the itoyal Geographical Society. 



Nothing, however, had been done in Spitsbergen comparable to 

 the masterly studies of the Greenland glaciers which we owe to. 

 Prof. Chamberlin ^ and his colleagues, to Drygalski,^ and to the con- 

 tributors to the ' Meddelelser om Gronland.' We had the oppor- 

 tunity of studying in Spitsbergen the same types of glacier- 

 structure that have been so admirably described and so beautifully 

 illustrated by Prof. Chamberlin, whose series of memoirs forms 

 the most important contribution to glacial geology during recent 

 years. 



It is unnecessary to say much about the stratigraphical geology 

 of Spitsbergen ; but, as we are bound to refer to the possible 

 analogy between the geographical structure of that country and of 

 Greenland, a few lines on the subject may be conveniently inserted. 

 Spitsbergen itself (excluding jS^orth-east Land and the islands 

 adjacent thereto) consists of two parts. There is an extensive 

 eastern plateau formed of Devonian, Carboniferous, Triassic, and 

 Cretaceous strata, which are in the main horizontal, and are in places 

 penetrated by intrusive igneous rocks ; and there is a lofty western 

 mountain- chain formed of pre-Devonian granites, gneisses, and 

 schists, which are in places associated with uplifted members of the 

 sedimentary series. 



We are glad of this opportunity of thanking Sir Martin Conway, 

 whose careful preparations ensured the success of the expedition, and 

 whose keen scientific interests led him continually to alter his plans 

 so as to give us the fullest possible opportunity for our work. It 

 was, moreoTor, a great advantage for us to be able to discuss 

 difficulties with a mountaineer and a geographer who has so intimate 

 a knowledge of Alpine and Himalayan glaciers. Peferences to the 

 localities and an account of the conditions urader which our work 

 was done will be found in Sir Martin Conway's book.* 



^ Axel Hamberg, 'En Resa till IVorra Ishafvet Sommaren 1892,' Ymer, 

 vol xiv (1894) pp. 25-61 & pi. i. 



^ T. C. Chamberlin, ' Glacial Studies in Greenland,' pts. i-x, Journ. Geol. 

 (1894-97) : pt. i, op. cit. vol. ii (1894) pp. 649-666 ; pt. ii, op. cit. (1894) pp. 768- 

 788 ; pt. iii, op. cit. vol. iii (1895) pp. 61-69 ; pt. iv, ibid. pp. 197-218 ; pt. v, 

 ibid. pp. 469-480 ; pt. vi, ibid. pp. 565-582 ; pt. vii, ibid. pp. 668-682 ; pt. -viii, 

 ibid. pp. 833-843; pt. ix, op. cit. vol. iv (1896) pp. 582-592; pt. x, o^. eit. 

 vol. V (1897) pp 229-240. 



^ E. von Drygalski, ' Gronlands Gletscher und Inlandeis,' Zeitschr. Gas. 

 Erdk. Berlin, vol. xxvii (1892) pp. 1-62. 



4 ' The First Crossing of Spitsbergen,' London, 1897. 



V2 



