LAKES MAGGIORE AND COMO 375 



rapid their lower edges are 60 to 80 feet above the lake, but this slope is 

 relatively steep. A well formed delta of a larger torrent is at Gordola, 

 about 3 miles east of Locarno, which seems to show the old lake was 60 

 to 65 feet above the present. The Morobbia has built a cone or delta of 

 considerable size below Guibiasco, but this was seen only from the train. 



The larger rivers — the Ticino above lake Maggiore and the Toce west 

 of Pallanza — were disappointing. In the brief examinations which I 

 was able to make I found no clear evidence of a higher lake level. 

 Their later delta deposits and the cones of the torrents which empty into 

 their valleys appear to have overwhelmed any older deltas which may 

 have been built. 



The phenomena below Pallanza led me to believe that, besides being 

 tilted in post-Glacial time, lake Maggiore has cut down its barrier nearly 

 20 feet. If this be true, then the old lake surface now rises from nearly 

 20 feet above the present lake at Cesto Calende to between 55 and 65 

 feet at its north end, near Locarno — that is, the old surface rises 35 to 45 

 feet in 37 miles. But if the altitudes found near Intra are correct, there 

 appears to be a local upbending of 10 or 15 feet in that vicinity. 



This chapter of the history of lake Maggiore is worthy of much more 

 careful and detailed study than I was able to give it in one week. 

 Though I examined most of the places on foot — a few while driving — 

 the intervening stretches along the lake shore were not examined. The 

 most valuable evidences that could be found are those of wave action, 

 of which, however, I found none that were certain. A more detailed 

 study might be expected to discover some evidence of this kind. Evi- 

 dence exclusively from deltas like those here described does not yield a 

 basis for accurate determination of the old water surface. The best con- 

 clusions they afford are only approximations. 



Lake Como 



In two days spent on lake Como I found that the delta at Cernobbio, 

 2 miles north of the village of Como, stands very low with reference to 

 the present lake. It seems to show a permanent, unchanged relation to 

 the lake level. Steep cones at Argegno and Campo show a slight falling 

 away of the lake — less than 10 feet. At Menaggio the old delta is well 

 developed and indicates a former lake level 12 to 15 feet above the 

 present. Another, equally fine, at Bellano, on the east shore, shows 

 about the same height. A delta at Dervio shows the old lake level at 

 about 20 feet. Three fine specimens of torrent delta-cones occur at 

 Dongo, Gravedona, and Domaso. They are so close together that they 

 are connected by narrow terraces. The old lake level here is about 25 

 feet above the water. I did not go farther north, but at the same rate 

 of rise the old level at the extreme north end would be about 30 feet, or 



