4§ David Milne-Home on Ancient Glaciers. 
Took notice also of the innumerable scratches and ruts 
which are over the whole face of rock ; the most distinct being 
those low down near glacier. Had not least doubt that 
these formed by sharp-pointed hard stones pressed on rock 
by glacier. 
These scratches not always parallel; but all were more or 
less inclined, some as much as 11° and 12° to horizon, and run- 
ning N.W. by compass, corresponding with the movement of 
glacier at this point of valley. ; 
In some parts of smooth face of the rock there were de- 
pressions or cavities, apparently natural to the rock, from 
2 to 3 inches diameter, and half inch deep. The inner sur- 
face of these cavities rough. My attention directed to this 
circumstance by Auguste Balmat, the well known guide, to 
whom I had received an introduction from Principal Forbes. 
He said that when water the agent which smooths rocks, the 
inner surface of these shallow cavities smoothed also; when 
ice the agent, the inner surface rough. 
5. Examined the great heap of debris near Les Tignes 
which has been described by De Saussure, and also by recent 
travellers, as an ancient moraine of Mer de Glace. Found 
the height of it by sympiesometer to be from 580 feet at its 
south end, to 400 feet towards the north, above the adjoining 
plain to the westward. It had evidently reached across valley 
to hill called La Flegére, thus blocking up valley. It is now 
cut through by the turbulent Arve, and thus its internal 
organisation can be studied. It is composed of primitive 
rocks, some of the granite blocks being of enormous size. 
On Flegeére hill, right opposite to the Mer de Glace valley, 
there isa band of blocks, at a height of from 2500 to 2700 feet 
above Chamouni, and which, most probably, have been trans- 
ported by glacier, when it smoothed rocks near the Mont- 
anvert, and deposited the blocks there already referred to. 
6. The next part of valley examined, about six miles west- 
ward, down the course of the Arve, near a village called Les 
Ouches. 
Ascended a hill, opposite to small glacier of Taconnay, 
which my guide called Chavant. It is reached by a stone 
bridge over the Arve. 
