^Natural History, 199 



17. Organic Remains. — M. de la Buhe, in a letter to Professor 

 Pictet, says, " I was much surprised to see in this collection 

 (belonging to Professor Meissner, of Berne,) the teeth of a mas- 

 todon, and those of other animals of less size, enveloped in 

 the coal of Alpnach (if I do not deceive myself,) near the lake 

 of Zurich. Mr. Meissner informed me that the stratum of coal 

 occurred in banks of sandstone gres. This is a circumstance 

 which ought to draw the attention of the Swiss geologists. The 

 fact is certain. The teeth are black, and appear strongly im- 

 pregnated with bitumeij. 



18. Falling of a Mountain. — On the 8th of July last, at four 

 o'clock in the morning, a part of the mountain Sichen-Retkren- 

 bergCf near Moselle, in the circle of Cochereim, ten leagues 

 from Coblentz, fell into the river. A movement almost insen- 

 sible, but neverless progressive, has been observed for many 

 years of this enormous mass. The damage occasioned by it is 

 almost incalculable ; more than 20 vineyards have disappeared. 



A neighbouring mountain, called der Kessel, threatens also to 

 fall. Enormous crevices occur in it near the middle, and at 

 the summit, and the lower part descended three feet on the 

 morning of the 8th, with the loosening and falling of many large 

 pieces. It is feared that this mountain falling into the Moselle 

 will stop it up, and cause sad distress. 



19. Earthquake, — A strong shock of an earthquake was felt at 

 Inspruck, on the 17th of July. It lasted four seconds. It is 

 curious that the shock happened at the very hour of the day on 

 which the people of the place were assembled together in prayer, * 

 which, according to a vow made in 1670, was to be made an- 

 nually, in consequence of a dreadful shock which happened at 



that time. 



> 



10. Red Snow. — The red snow has appeared this year much 



sooner than usual, and, though at two leagues from the convent 



of St. Bernard, there was no place without snow, except some 



steep rocks ; yet it was decidedly red at the foot qf inclined 



places, and began to reunite in the channels formed by the 



