1823.] Scientific Intelligence. 235 



reniform phosphorite are also found in a clay subordinate to the lias of 

 Amberg." 



" The structure of the secondary formations of the Alps has puzzled 

 many geologists ; yet the means of cutting the Gordian knot have been 

 given by Escher, De Buch, Mohs, Lupin, Uttinger, Pantz, Keferstein, 

 &c. The writings of these excellent geologists, together with the judi- 

 ciously managed travels of Mr. Buckland, have enabled us at last to 

 acquire a distinct view of this part of the alpine regions. It would be 

 quite useless for me to relate my own observations in this place, were 

 I not of an opinion different from that of Prof. Buckland upon the 

 newer deposits of the Alps." 



" Upon the old red sandstone rests the great alpine calcareous tracts 

 which belongs to the zechstein or magnesian limestone; it is in great 

 part a magnesian limestone, which presents some varieties of rocks, 

 one of which is rather compact, another somewhat granular, while an- 

 other is fetid, and some, particularly those in the upper part of the 

 formation, are porous, or present the structure of the rauchwacke 

 (Eisenertz). In its lower parts there are vast deposits of lead and zinc, 

 in the form of small veins ; bitumen is found here and there in it ; in 

 some places mercury has been collected, which could only come from 

 some bituminous part of this formation, and here and there are found 

 columns of 'porphyry, (Hiedeberg, Geisalp.) This grey, or yellowish, 

 or whitish limestone, forms very high hills of at least 7000 or 9000 feet, 

 and its masses very rarely show any traces of stratification. Petrifac- 

 tions are exceedingly rare in it. It is the hochgebirgeskalk of Escher 

 and Uttinger, and a part of the alpine limestone of Humboldt, Freisle- 

 ben, De Buch,' &c. It is impossible to confound it with any other 

 limestone deposit, for it has not the slaty structure of the transition 

 limestone, nor the petrifactions of the shell limestone (muschelkalk), 

 and, besides, it lies everywhere under the variegated sandstone and 

 salt-formation. This lastformation presents, in the Alps, as elsewhere, 

 two masses, an arenaceous and a marly. The first is composed of 

 alternations of greywacke-like micaceous sandstone, seldom very 

 coarse, with marls which are of a greyish, brownish, or yellowish 

 colour ; in short, not red like the variegated sandstone of Germany, 

 because in the northern part of the Alps there have been no porphy- 

 ries, to give them the necessary supply of hydrated oxide of iron. 

 These rocks are placed above, and sometimes also below the marly 

 masses, which consist of alternations of various marls, more or less in- 

 durated, and of a brown, reddish-brown, blackish, greyish, or greenish 

 colour: they contain gypsum and rock-salt. Petrifactions are not 

 seen in this formation, but there are many vegetable remains, often of 

 marine plants (Kahlenberg). This formation, which is distinctly strati- 

 fied in thin layers, lies between the magnesian limestone and the shell 

 limestone (muschelkalk) ; and, as elsewhere, the upper part of it often- 

 alternates with indurated marl or limestone, or eVen with limestone 

 identical with the shell limestone (muschelkalk), and with flinty con- 

 cretions. Thus, at Ischel, the marly mass lies between the shell lime- 

 stone (muschelkalk) and a series of marly and calcareous beds ; between 

 Klosternenberg, near Vienna, and Nussdorf, the undulated beds of the 

 deposit contain many limestones, which are here and there traversed 

 by minute ferruginous veins, like the reniform marble of Florence. 

 After this short description, I imagine no one can any longer doubt 



