44 Е. Fropa. 
of the glacier, but the point where it is disappearing behind the pro- 
jecting soil. Aim 233°40’ to the glacier at the eastern side of the valey 
(Mercanton: gl. Pjetursson) has no corresponding aim in 1897. 
The points А and В in tab. А are the stations of Prof. Mercanton, 
who used even these indications. M-N (in both tables) is an imaginary 
section. 
When I had finished my measurements etc. at stat. I & Ш, I pro- 
ceeded to the front of the southern glacier, where I measured (nearly 
in the line M—N) the distance from the edge of the glacier to the distinct 
front-moraine from 1897; the distance was about 220 meters. Generally 
spoken the space of ground which had been uncovered since 1897 was 
quite even, partly swampy or traversed by a network of small brooklets 
and spred with stones, still none of great size. Indeed nothing of all 
does tell of a temporary advancement of the glacier during the past 
26 years; nor no terminal moraine was found in front of the present 
edge of the glacier, only at the northeast corner, but in some distance 
from the ice, lay a great heaping up of rough material, traversed by 
several, at that moment dry water-courses, but it must be remembered, 
that even that part of the glacier has always been the lowest point 
and the place, where the main outlet has had its issue. 
For the sake of elucidating the time when the glacier had retracted 
I noted, that the stones in the brooklets on the lower part of the un- 
covered ground were closely covered with green confervas, and on the 
small mound a little inside the terminal moraine (b at tab. B.3) several 
plants were found, viz. besides some graces Chamaenerium latifolium, 
Oxyria digyna (both fulgrown and with flowers), Salix groenlandica (a 
cotyledonous specimen more than 6 years old), Saxifraga rivularis and 
Saxifraga cernua — and perhaps some moret). 
I should not suppose that the said little mound b may be regarded 
as а terminal moraine, but rather that the two deepenings a & с on 
each side of it are due to watercourses along the front of the glacier 
at a time, when the retraction has been slow; still some water flew 
in c. (On the uncovered ground I saw in more places fine crystals (rock- 
crystal?) deposited in cavities in loose stones). 
Considering that the front part of the glacier was steep and in- 
accessible in 1897, whereas it was quite thin and smooth in 1923, the 
statement of Mercanton?) — a retraction of 70 m during the 15 years 
till 1912 — and my statement of 220 m retraction during 26 years — 
e. 1. 150 m in the 11 years from 1912 to 1923 — will together give a 
!) these plants have been identified by courtsey of Mr. M. Porsild. 
2) Ergebnisse der Schweizerischen Grönlandexpedition in Denkschriften der 
Schweizerischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, В. ШИ, р. 290. 
