2 Europe : — a popular Physical Sketch. 



ponds with Greece and Italy ; whereas the north-eastern side 

 more resembles the Hungarian and east European plain. 

 The Alps, the loftiest mountains in Europe, extend as one 

 continued chain from the Hungarian plain to the mouth of 

 the Rhone. The natural boundaries are, in south the great 

 Lombardic plain (the Po valley) ; in west the lower Rhone 

 valley ; in north-west, a basin containing the lake of Neufcha- 

 tel ; in north the Danube valley. In two places the chain 

 blends into others, viz. in SE. into the Dinarian Alps, and 

 in SW. into the Appennines. A small part of the Alps is 

 situated on the sea. 



This chain is situated between 43° 30' and 48° N. L. and 

 extends about 600 miles in length, and from 80 to 160 miles 

 in breadth, and is consequently of an elongated form, narrow- 

 er on its western extremity. The chief direction is from 

 ENE. to WSW., which however in the western part is 

 changed from NNE. to SSW. 



The mean elevation may be fixed thus : — 



From the SW. extremity to Monte Viso, . . . 6400 feet. 

 Viso to Mont Blanc, 9067 



Mont Blanc to Monte Rosa, 11,733 



Monte Rosa to Brenner, 9600 



Brenner to Glockner, 6933 



Glockner to the NE. extremity, . . . 4800 



The western extremity is consequently upon the whole 

 somewhat higher than the eastern, and the loftiest part is 

 situated nearer to the SW. than to the NE. extremity. 

 Among the loftiest peaks, are, 



Monte Viso, 12,596 feet. 



Loucyra, 14,400 



Mont Blanc, 15,786 



Rosa, 15,253 



Jungfrau, 13,765 



Finster Aarhorn, 14,080 



