1 84 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



■one of the finest profiles of the lias and Dogger, but 

 only accessible at very low water. 



With the help of the following notes the different 

 strata can be easily recognised, although careful 

 examination of the often decomposed surface of the 

 rocks is required. 



The succession of zones from S . to N. is : 



Zone of 



Rhyiich. various 

 Am. Parkinsoni 



Ant. Blagdeni . 

 KAm. Hu}nJ>hriesiaui, 



yZoophycos scoparius 

 Am. Sowerbyi . 



Am. Murchisontr . 

 Am. opalinus . 



Rh. varians ; Rh. spinosa, &c. 

 Bel. canalicultitiis ; Am. Parkin- 



soni. 

 Feebly developed. 

 With numerous tpec. of Stcphano- 



ceras. 

 Z. scoparius, common. 

 O. Jiabelloidcs ; Panopira ; juras- 



sica. 

 Ptcten satumus ; P. pumilus. 

 Bituminous blackish marls, with few 



fossils. 



Am. jiirensis . . . A . jurens/s and its aWies. 

 Am. serpentinus . . Am. cominunis ; Bel. acitarius ; 



Inoceramns dubiiis ; I. cincius. 



The fossils washed out by the river are usually 

 mixed up and found along the shore at very low 

 water. 



Take rail to Turgi and Brugg. 



Cross the Birrfeld to Braunegg and Othmarsingen, 

 where extensive quarries in the molasse sandstones 

 are opened. The fauna of the Helvetian etage is 

 represented by numerous fossils of P'icula condita, 

 Tjcrrilellatitrris, Alactra triaiigiila, Cardinm commttne, 

 teeth of Lamna, Carcharias, Notidanus ; good speci- 

 mens can be bought from the workmen at moderate 

 price. Unused blocks, having been exposed to the 

 rain, yield a collection of the principal species in a 

 short time. 



The following table will assist to compare the zones 

 of the Aargau with those of other countries : 



Zones. 



DOGGER. 

 Aargaii. 



Corresponding zones 

 in Germany, &c. 



Callovian . 

 Bathonian 



Cayocian . 

 Aalenian . 



Zones. 



11. Ornaten., Sch. . 



I I. Macrocephalus, 

 I Sch. 



III. Varians, Sch. 



, I. Hauptrogenstein 

 ( [Osirea actcminata) 



lIII. Humphriesi- 

 anus, Sch. 



II. Sowerbyi, Sch. . 

 1.1. Murchisona;, Sch. 



I. Opalinus, Sch. 



LIAS. 

 Aargau. 



Toarcian . 



Charmouthian 



Sincmurian 



Hettangian 

 Rhaetian. 



In. Turensis, Sch. . 



I r. Liasschiefer . 



II. Margaritatus, 

 Sch. 



1 1. Numismalis, Sch. 



Gryphitenkalke, 



or 



Arciiatenkalke 

 (Gryphaa arcuaia) 



Insect marls . 



(Am. anceps. 

 \Am. athleta. 

 A 1)1. macrocephalus. 



RJiynch. ■varians. 

 Am. Parkinsotti. 



I Am. Blagdeni. 

 <.]«?. Humphricsi- 

 \ anus. 



Am. Scnuerbyi. 



Am. Mnrchisona: 

 i Trigonia navis. 

 \A)it. torulosiis. 



Corresponding zones 



in Germany, &c. 

 (Am. radians. 

 \Am. jiirensis. 

 (Est. {Pas.) Bronni. 

 \Am. serpentinus. 

 (Am. spinattts. 

 \ Ih'l. comfiressiis. 

 ( A in. Jintbriaitis. 

 XAm. IJavoci. 

 (Am. Ibex. 

 (Am. Jamesoni. 

 (A m. raricostatus. 

 \A. oxynotus. 

 Am. obtusus. 

 (Pent, tubercitlatns. 

 (Am. Bucklandi. 

 (Am. angulatus, 

 XAm. planorbis. 



Note I. As from the description of fossils given by 

 the labourers or boys it is easily possible to be de- 

 ceived, a list of the local names of the more common 

 genera may be useful, and prevent disagreeable disap- 

 pointment. 



Fossils are called Versteinerungen or Figurensteine. 



Ammonites : 

 Belemnites : 



' Terebratula . 

 ] Rhynchonella 



Pholadomya . 

 Goniomya 

 Cardium, &c. 



Turritella 



Turbo. 



Cidaris 



: Ammonshorner, gewundene Schnecken. 

 Tiifelsfinger {Germ., Teufelsfinger). Donner- 

 keile. 



ITiibli (Germ., Taubchen). 

 Hiiendli (Germ., Hiihnchen). 

 Rabhiiendli (Germ., Rebhiihnchen). 

 Chraisacherhiiendli (Kreisackerhiihnchen). 

 . ( Hiirze (Germ., Herzen). 

 . (Oepfel (Germ., Aepfel). 



. Kalberfiiss, from a certain resemblance of 

 Phol. paucicostata to the foot of a calf. 



\ Schrubestei (Schraubensteine). 



. Chruhndli (Germ., diminut. of Krone). 



Crystals of calcite are sometimes called teeth ; 

 other fossils or often merely rolled pebbles are not 

 seldom offered as heads of men or animals, fossil 

 fruits, fish, as in other countries. It is still 

 an almost general belief amongst the population of 

 the small villages that fossils are still growing in the 

 rocks or were created in them, and it is surprising 

 how these people stick to this opinion simply because 

 their fathers believed the same. As the geologist is 

 generally obliged to wander in the loneliest parts, he 

 will find difficulties in making himself understood 

 even if he speaks German well. A small coin is 

 often of greater help than the best dictionaries or 

 guides for travellers. 



The country people of the canton Aargau are as 

 a rule very good-hearted, and will give the little 

 information on geological subjects with pleasure. 

 They are liberal, and not likely to cheat foreigners as 

 their more refined brethren of the Alpine cantons do, 

 I should advise geologists to accept the invitation to 

 their old-fashioned houses, in spite of many objection- 

 able things. Milk or wine is generally offered, and 

 the latter, although not exactly equal to Olympic 

 nectar, is certainly far superior to the liquor obtained 

 on some parts of the lake of Zurich from vines, the 

 berries of which are so ' ' hard that during the French 

 invasion they did duty as bullets for the guns," and 

 which the possessors of very little better sorts of wine 

 on the same side of the lake say is not transported by 

 the railway companies for fear that, a barrel being 

 broken, it would dissolve the rails. It is of great 

 importance to have a recommendation to a native 

 geologist. 



Water-spiders. — I found three of the true water- 

 spiders. I have always kept them in a separate 

 aquarium. What do they live on, and will they live 

 peaceably with fish, newts, &c., and will fish, newts, 

 &c., live peaceably with them ? I shall be glad of any 

 information from any one who has kept them, as to 

 their habits, &c. — John Alexaiukr OUard. 



