in Scotland and Parts of England. 235 



Ancient Glaciers in Limited Mountain Districts. 



A short excursion in the Lake District of the North of 

 England in April 1852, satisfied me that that district had 

 been the seat of local glaciers, each of which moved down 

 its respective valley, and I have since found that Mr Mac- 

 laren came to the same conclusion from what he observed 

 in the same region in 1850. A few stray glacial phenomena 

 had been previously observed in the district by Dr Buckland, 

 Professor Phillips, Mr Bryce, and others. 



Overlooking Skiddaw and Saddleback, which stand com- 

 paratively isolated, the mountains of the Lake Country form 

 two or three centres of peculiar elevation, from which the 

 valleys containing the lakes take their origin. The principal 

 centre is at Scafell and Bowfell, from which Borrowdale 

 descends to the north, the valley of Coniston Lake to the 

 south, and Wastdale to the west, while to the south-east 

 descend various minor vales which meet at the head of Gras- 

 mere, and are continued in the great valley of Windermere. 

 The vale containing Thirlmere also has its head in this clus- 

 ter of mountains. Another centre is formed by Kirk stone 

 Fell, Rydal Head, and Helvellyn, whence descend the valley 

 containing Ulleswater on the one hand, and the vales of 

 Rydal and Kent on the other. Between the vales which 

 meet at Grasmere, and that containing Thirlmere, there is a 

 valley of passage, the summit of which at Dunmail Raise is 

 760 feet above the level of the sea. 



In all of these valleys which have been examined by Mr 

 Maclaren and myself, namely Borrowdale, the Ulleswater 

 valley, those of Thirlmere, Grasmere, Windermere, and Kent, 

 we have found unequivocal memorials of ancient glaciers 

 descending in them respectively. 



The chief of these memorials are prominent masses of rock 

 by the sides of the valley, presenting rounded and polished 

 surfaces towards its head, with rough faces downwards, the 

 polished surfaces being farther grooved and striated in the 

 direction of the valley, whatever that may be. Rocks so 

 marked are particularly conspicuous near the site of the 

 famous BoNvderstone in Borrowdale. The lofty hummock on 



