Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-08-13
VERMONT GEOLOGY.

Tor Inc Advancement OI oCleNCc, hclu al Oprlnp-
field last week, the subjects of Glaciers in YER
mont and the frozen well at Brandon were con-
sidercd; and the observations there made are
thus reported in the Springfield RepnJiican;
OS TIE MARKS or Ancient GLACIERS on THE
GREEN MOUNTAIN RANGE IN MAssACIIC.
,.l..fIr, SETS AND VERMONT. . ...
Mr. c. II. llIrcncocR of Amherst read Il
paper with the above title. He said that the
discovery Of the marks Of ancient glaciers in Eu-
rope invited American biologists to explore
prominent peaks and ranges of mountains in
this country for similar phenomena. 1t was be-
lieved that nothing had as yet been published
upon the occurrence Of these marks distinguish
cd from the drift of the great glacier 2SOO miles
wide and extending from the Arctic ocean to the
10th degree of north latitude, as some are
pleased to call it, except short communication
to this association at the Providence meeting
and detailed account published BY the Smith
,onian Institute, of certain ancient glaciers in
Massachusetts and Vermont, by Prof Hitchcock
under whose directions the Investigations had
been continued along the principal mountains
west of the Connecticut, the results Of which
were briefly embodied in the present paper
The following are the chief distinctions be-
tween the marks of the ordinary drift and the
marks Of glaciers =
lst. Glacier striae lie in different directions
from the drift striac. The drift striae have three
general dircctions--to the southeast and the
southwest, and although the glacier sirae at
some particular locality may be similar they will
not be confoundcd, because where the marks
are found in proximity to each other, they run
in different directions.
Mr. Hitchcock illustrated the point, by draw
ing upon the blackboard valley with glacier
descending the mountain, while the drift ran
horizontally, or at right angles. In north and
south valleys, he said, glaciers and drift might
take the same general direction
2l Glacier striae occur only in valleys radi-
ating outwardly from crests of mountains, while
the DRIFT oyertopped the mountains, and when
found in valleys frequently crossed them obli-
quely.
Sd. Glacier strac descend from higher to low
or levels, except in limited spots where they
may be horizontal Drift striae as frequently
ascend mountains hundreds of feet.
ith Drift is spread promiscously over the
surface and the blocks are good deal rounded.
The detritus of glaciers more or less blocks up
the valleys and the fragments are frequently
| quite angular. These however are in part COW
cred with other materials which have descended
from the mountains.
There were ancient glacier marks within 10
miles Of Springfield. In the town of Hancock
on the west side of the Green mountains and
near the top there were very decisive markings
! They are in a valley through which Middlebury
river commences its course. The markings are
5 20 l.. pointing towards the depressed portion
OF the mountain crest over which the turnpike
runs to Hancock, with the stoss side on the
northwest. There is another set of marks
/ pointing down the valley w 80 5 with the stoss
side on the northeast.
\ diagram was presented showing the marks.
The marks on the ledge were 66 feet long and
l2 wide. Every Ledge in the vicinity was stria-
ted The two sets of striae, the drift and gla-
cier leave each other at an angle of 20 degrees.
/ fhe fouf which produced the drift set was up
hill. while that which produced the glacier was
cf lower down hill The cutting off where the
markings cross each other are beautifully de-
: fined.
Passing east over the mountain there are 9TH
er marks which show that the agent of erosion
was down'the valley. In three places before
reaching the main branch of White river are
found accumulations of detrtus stretching across
a considerable part of the valley in the same
manner as ancient terminal morains are found
in the yallies Of the Alps. These have been
modified by the subsequent action of water upon
the surface, but their internal characteristics are
the same as morains found near existing gla-
cicrs.
At the village of Hancock the valley meets
the valley OF White river at right angles. The
striae there are also at right angles, foi another
glacier dece lded the valley of White river. there
the two united and travelled down the larger val
ey-a river of ice bending its course to cores
pond with the snuosities of the valley as the
striae indicate.
We should expect that other glaciers would
be found uniting from each tributary valley; he
J had pNntnual luf ,.n11 stv