the most considerable river in Switzerland, after the Rhine and Rhone. It rises in the glaciers of the Finsteraarhorn, Schreckhorn and Grimmel mountains in Berne; and at Handeck in the valley of Hasli forms a magnificent waterfall of above 150 feet in height. The Aar then flows through the lakes of Brienz and Thun, and on emerging from the latter it becomes navigable, and at length empties itself into the Rhine, opposite Waldshut, after a course of about 170 miles. In its course it receives numerous smaller rivers, the principal of which are the Kander, Saane, and Thiele on the left, and the Emmen, Surin, Reuss, and Limmat, on the right; and on its banks are situated Unterseen, Thun, Berne, Aarburg, Solothurn, and Aarau. It abounds in fish, and carries along with it a considerable quantity of gold sand. This is also the name of several small rivers in Germany.