Geology of the Austrian Alps. IT 



the primary Carpathian chain ; for this is by no means the fact ; 

 but we repeat it, that, as in the Alps, from Vienna and Pres- 

 burg, to the east of the Tatra, there is an uninterrupted calca- 

 reous band, which is often separated from the primary hills by 

 a system of reddish arenaceous rocks. Besides, this alpine lime- 

 stone is not much covered by more recent calcareous deposites, 

 nor has it been so much thrown up, as to shew, as in the Alp?, 

 its whole body, and to allow us to see, in this calcareous chain, 

 also the subordinate arenaceous beds or masses. 



Our adversaries seem to imagine, not only that all our opi- 

 nions in regard to the Carpathians are more fanciful than cor- 

 rect, but they also appear to insinuate, that we may have mis- 

 taken for alpine limestone some other calcareous deposite, which 

 we could only have examined in a few spots, and that we af- 

 terwards united the whole according to our fancy. Happily^ 

 however, our map of the north-east part of Hungary, presented 

 last April to the Geological Society of London, affords proofs of 

 our local observations) united with those of Messrs Lill and 

 Beudant, and which can at any time be verified. The calca- 

 reous alpine zone, which is coloured on the map, exists really in 

 nature, and extends uninterruptedly from Vienna to Tatra. 

 Every one will be able, on inspecting a good map, to see that 

 the numerous localities where we studied the formation, and 

 which we shall enumerate, were sufficient to allow us, even with- 

 out the aid of organic remains, to decide that alpine limestone 

 exists equally in Tatra as in the Alps. If it is ever allow- 

 able to make use of the witticism of Mohs, viz. that, as we 

 cannot determine the species or genus of a tree from the 

 birds that sit on it, consequently fossils cannot shew the age 

 of a deposite, which must be determined by position and mi-^ 

 neral contents, it is in this case. Indeed, if there be a conti- 

 nuation of the limestone ridges of the Alps and that of the Ta- 

 tra, what necessity is there for taking into consideration the 

 fossil organic remains ? even if Trilobites occur in the Tatra al- 

 pine limestone, and Bacculites in that of Vienna, if both rocks 

 form one single continuous mass, if they have the same position, 

 they, in our opinion, are of the same age. Now, the Vienna or 

 Baden alpine limestone reappears on the eastern side of the ter- 

 tiary plain of that city, viz. at the distance of six or eight miles, 



OCTOBER — DECEMBER 1830. B 



