The line of eternal snow which, _at the poles_, is found on the level of the ground, gradually rises as we approach the torrid zone, where it attains its maximum of elevation, from 13,000 to 17,000 feet. This phenomenon does not exclusively depend upon the geographical latitude, nor on the mean annual temperature of the locality: it is the result of an aggregate of diverse circumstances which we have not the space here to enumerate and discuss. We shall content ourselves with placing before the reader a table which will show the remarkable differences existing in the height of the perpetual snow-line in various places. THE LINE OF PERPETUAL SNOW. +-----------+-------------------------+----------------+ | Latitude. | Place. | Height of | | (Degs.) | | Snow-Line. | +-----------+-------------------------+----------------+ | 79 N. | Spitzbergen | 0 | | 71 | Mageroe (Norway) | 2,350 | | 70 to 60 | Norway (Interior of) | 3,500 to 5,100 | | 65 | Iceland | 3,050 | | 54 | Oonalashka (W. America) | 3,510 | | 50 | Altai Mountains | 7,034 | | 45 | Alps, The, N. declivity | 8,885 | | 45 | Do., S. declivity | 9,150 | | 43 | The Caucasus | 11,863 | | 43 | The Pyrenees | 9,000 | | 40 | Mount Ararat | 14,150 | | 36 | Karakorum, N. side | 17,500 | | 36 | Do., S. side | 19,300 | | 36 | Kuen-luen, N. side | 15,000 | | 35 | Do., S. side | 15,680 | | 29 | Himalaya, N. side | 19,560 | | 28 | Do., N. side | 15,500 | | 17 | Cordilleras of Mexico | 14,650 | | 13 | Ethiopian Mountains | 14,075 | | | | | | 1 S. | Andes, in Quito | 15,680 | | 16 | Do., in Bolivia, E. | 15,800 | | 18 | Do., in Bolivia, W. | 18,400 | | 33 | Do., in Chili | 14,600 | | 43 | Do., in Patagonia | 6,300 | | 54 | Strait of Magelhaens | 3,700 | +-----------+-------------------------+----------------+ THE INHABITANTS OF THE ETERNAL SNOWS.