156 The American Geologist. September, 18&7 
the part now exposed on the Greenland coast is comparable 
rather with Labrador than with the United States. I mean 
to say that during its greatest extension the Greenland gla- 
cier removed the decayed rock materials, as well as much 
fresh bed rock, from this region and deposited these fragments 
in Baffin bay, the bed of which would therefore contain the 
deposits, whose position compares with the marginal glacial ac- 
cumulations of the United States. Whether this is the case or 
not, the present Greenland glacier is certainly dealing with 
bare and hard rock, while the American glacier had an easier 
task, and hence obtained a greater load. 
Another difference must be recognized in the climate. At 
best only a small amount of melting can take place every year 
near the margin of the Greenland glacier, while practicallj'^ 
none occurs at a distance of a score or two of miles from the 
edge. Hence there will not be great floods in this land, such 
as those which occurred in America. 
Hence in America with more material to deposit, a rapid 
withdrawal due to hurried melting, a more level land surface 
over which to spread, and materials which must in most parts 
find a resting place on the land, there were great and complex 
glacial deposits, whereas on the Greenland margin the glacial 
deposits are relatively more simple. Nevertheless the student 
of glacial geology cannot visit the margin of the great ice 
cap without gaining much inspiration, valuable knowledge 
and important hints to aid him in his study of the work done 
by the great extinct American ice sheet. 
NOTE ON HYPERSTHENE-ANDESITE FROM 
MT. EDGECUMBE, ALASKA. 
By H. P. Gushing, Cleveland, Ohio. 
In September, 1892, during an enforced stay of a week at 
Sitka, Dr. H. F. Reid ascended Mt. Edgecumbe and brought 
away with him a few small specimens of lava from the crater 
which were given to the writer for examination. It was the 
intention to publish this note along with a paper by Dr. Reid 
setting forth the results of his observations. These however 
he desires to withhold pending another visit to the mountain, 
but has sent the following letter for publication as a preface : 
