26 Dr Boue's Observations on the 



tion. We grant them that similar beds are to be found in some 

 points at the foot of the northern alpine chain. On the other 

 hand, we shall be careful not to compare, as they have done, 

 the position of the Gossau rocks with that of the molasses in 

 the longitudinal valleys of the eastern Alps, and conclude from 

 this false view that rocks of the same age can exist also in the 

 Salzburg alpine valleys, (H^)- Indeed, most of the valleys of 

 Salzburg are transverse ; that of Gossau is of this description ; 

 the longitudinal valleys of that country are occupied by lakes, 

 but these do not, any more than the transverse, offer traces of ter- 

 tiary rocks. These transverse valleys have been formed gene- 

 rally during a period posterior to the tertiary rocks, and the lakes 

 have perhaps occupied more ancient cavities, without directly 

 communicating with the tertiary sea covering the existing flat 

 country. In the same manner, it is acknowledged that the lon- 

 gitudinal valleys of the eastern Alps are far more ancient rents 

 than those which conduct the traveller through the alpine lime- 

 stone chains. The comparison of our opponents seems so erro- 

 neous, and the case of Haring, again brought forward, appears 

 so much of the same description, that we cannot help express- 

 ing our astonishment that sets of rocks, so different as those of 

 Haring and Gossau, should be compared together. Lastly, If 

 the valley of Gossau has been filled up by tertiary rocks depo- 

 sited by an arm of the tertiary sea of the flat country, Why 

 do these same beds not occur throughout the space between 

 Gossau, Gmund, and Saltzburg, in all these great transversal 

 and longitudinal valleys 9 Hence we cannot see the probability, 

 with our adversaries, that tertiary deposites may have been 

 formed in the valley under examination (112). 



On the other hand, they remark, that there is a great break be- 

 tween the chalk and the calcaire grossiere or tertiary inferior 

 limestone (182), and that a deposite somewhere fills up the inter- 

 val, and connects the tertiary soil with the chalk. The hill of St 

 Peter, at Maestricht, owing to its containing a mixture of secon- 

 dary and tertiary fossils, is proposed as an example of this kind. 

 First, after reproaching me with comparisons taken in distant 

 countries, it seems that my critics expose themselves still more 

 than I to this objection, for Maestricht is very far from Gossau, 

 and that hmestone bears but little resemblance to that of Gossau, 



