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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



in Fig. 3: the fossil has been broken up, and its pieces have been more 

 or less separated from each other, exactly as in the natural examples. 



By pursuing a similar line of research, M. Daubree has succeeded 

 in imitating a characteristic feature of the structure of large chains of 



Fig. 2. Belemnites niger, B, closely inclosed by costing in the center of a prism of lead : in two 

 parts, only one of which is represented. The prism is to be subjected to the action of the hy- 

 draulic press perpendicularly to its larger sides. (Scale of one half.) 



mountains, which Saussure observed on Mont Blanc. The masonry- 

 work of Mont Blanc, says this author, is divided into great leaves 

 having their planes exactly parallel to each other, and parallel to the 

 direction of the chain. He further satisfied himself that the leaves, 



Fig. 3. Stretching out and truncation of the belemnite of the preceding figure by the action of 

 the hydraulic press on the prism of lead in which it was incased. 



nearly vertical in the center of the mass, assumed inclined positions in 

 their lateral parts, and dipped symmetrically toward the central axis, 

 so as to present in their transverse section the form of a half -opened 

 fan. Little Mont Blancs can be reproduced in miniature, with a struc- 

 ture like that described by Saussure, in this way : Take clay which 

 has been previously well mixed and nearly dried, and cut into the form 

 of a square prism ; and, having put it between two square plates of 

 the same dimensions as the base of the prism, subject it to the action 

 of the hydraulic press. In the operation a beard (bavure) or overflow 

 runs out from each of the four -lateral faces, the expanding form of 



