596 Holsts Studies in Glacial Geology. 
In his “ Account of an Expedition to Greenland, 1870,” Norden- 
skidld gives the above analysis No. 1, and, on the strength of it, 
pronounces the kryokonite “a trachytic sand of a composition (e. g., 
the amount of sodium), which indicates that it does not derive its 
origin from the granite-bearing region of Greenland.” He leaves 
the question open whether it is derived from the basalt region or 
from volcanoes supposed to exist in the interior of Greenland, or 
whether it is of meteoric nature. He regards it as a distinct species, 
for which he gives the chemical formula, and even states that its 
crystal form is probably monoclinic. By comparison with the 
analysis (A) of a Swedish gneiss, it becomes evident that his con- 
clusions are invalid, Evidently the analyses point to the primitive 
rocks of Greenland as the origin of the kryokonite. Even the high 
percentage of soda has no great bearing on this question, as many 
wedish gneisses! have a higher percentage of soda than the above 
0.1, 
Dr. Holst devoted special attention to the kryokonite in Green- 
land, and collected samples of it from ten different localities 
between lat. 61 N. and 65° 25’ N.?; and he came to the conclusion 
that this substance is nothing but the finest till separated by repeated 
washing. 
The thaw-water from the surface of the inland ice penetrates 
through cracks into confluent gutters down in the moraines in the 
deeper parts of the ice, and, washing out the finest till, it continues 
its course until it connects with similar gutters, carrying water from 
higher-located tracts. Hydrostatic pressure will then force back 
_ water toward the lower tract. The suspended moraine matter will 
follow ; but as"soon as equilibrium is restored it will settle in pores 
and cracks of the ice. The water may but rarely reach the surface 
immediately. But when the moving glacier encounters an elevation 
of the ground,*the lower portions of the glacier will be pressed up 
to a higher level. As the ice is melting away from the surface the 
enclosed matter will gradually appear at the top. Upon reaching 
the borders of the inland ice it will be carried away by the glacier- 
rivers and deposited in the sea. These rivers in Greenland are 
1 According tojSantesson’s “Kemiska Bergarts analyser.” Sveriges 
Geol. Underséknin iit 
2 Nordenskiöld’s sarriple were all taken from nearly the same locality, 
viz., about 68° N. lat. 
