1892 - 93 .] Dr Mauro on a BemarkabU Glacier-Lake, 55 
its normal level; for in the month of June in the preceding year, 
it had undergone one of its periodical drainages, and the basin had 
not yet been filled again. Such a state of things gave me an oppor- 
tunity of examining a point of great geological interest, namely, 
the form and structure of a large terrace or line of beach which 
encircles the lake-basin all round its margin, and which constitutes 
its shore when it is full, and when its surplus waters flow over to 
the Viesch Valley. I satisfied myself that this terrace is a counter- 
part of one of those ancient shelves or parallel roads, as they are 
called, of Glen Koy in Scotland, which, as Agassiz first suggested, 
were probably formed on the edge of lakes dammed up by ice, which 
may have existed in the glacial period in Scotland.” 
Professor Bonney, writing in Nature, October 27, 1887, describes 
the Marjelen See as “ unique of its kind,” and gives some interesting 
details in regard to the changes to which it is liable. Two years 
later. Prince Roland Bonaparte published a large pamphlet, entitled 
Le Glacier de VAletscli et le lac de Marjelen, in which he records a 
number of incidents and catastrophes consequent upon the sudden 
fluctuations of the lake, and also enumerates the dates of its periodical 
drainages so far as known historically. 
The temporary lake formed by the advance of the Gietroz glacier 
in the upper part of the Dranse Valley, the bursting of which, 
in 1818, caused such devastation, seems to be, at least in some 
respects, analogous to the Marjelen See. But a still more perfect 
parallel to it is the one in Norway, which I am now about to 
describe. 
My sole purpose in visiting Eidfiord was to see the famous 
Voeringsfos, and having accomplished that object, I happened to 
notice that same evening a large photograph hanging in the corridor 
of the hotel, representing a glacier terminating in a lake. On 
making inquiry as to its situation, I ascertained that the glacier 
could not only be visited in one day, but that it had a history of 
such a novel character as to greatly increase my curiosity to see it. 
Eor the following particulars of the stories current, I am indebted 
to Mr Nasheim, proprietor of the Voeringsfos Hotel, who, as an 
intelligent native, took an interest in the history and traditions of 
the neighbourhood. 
“ The lake,” said he, “ represented by this photograph, lies on the 
