284 Dr Menard on a Cavern at Lund-Viel 



formed of a thick layer of fine yellow sand, free from clay or 

 pebbles ; it is very loose, and affords no animal deposit, except 

 a few spiral and bivalve shells of fresh water origin. This cave 

 does not abound in crystallizations. At its south extremity there 

 are a few horizontal bands of stalactites, which off'er nothing 

 remarkable, and terminate when they approach the ground in 

 acicular crystals, of a beautiful milky white when inspected 

 closely, but adding nothing to the general effect of the sur- 

 rounding masses. 



The air of the cavern seems to have no other outlet than 

 that first mentioned, yet one breathes freely all over it, and 

 the flame of a lamp is every where full and bright, but always 

 vertical. The interior temperature has no sensible variation, as 

 throughout the year the thermometer stands between 13° and 

 1 4P Reaun\. 



Everything in this cavern attests the presence of a fluid 

 solvent, of which the action has been powerful and continued. 

 Indicationsarelikewisefoundof a current of water. Its existence 

 is proved by an evident slope from N. to S., and a sandy soil. 

 At the supposed origin of this current the rock is bare, and 

 washed for the length of some metres. The current does not 

 appear to have been strong, for in the cul de sac which I ex- 

 amined there is no appearance of its impulse having raised 

 the argillaceous deposit. 



The air in the cavern is moist. To this may be attributed 

 the abundant efflorescence which is found on the surface of 

 the vault. This is of an earthy colour, and falls into powder 

 on the slightest touch. The fossils are imbedded in fresh water 

 alluvium, — at least the deposit offers nothing but aomi^ Helices, 

 one or two land-shells, and some fragments of river bivalves. 

 There are also some vegetable matters completely carbonized, 

 and of which the species cannot be distinguished. Below this, 

 as we have said, is found the primitive soil, which, along with 

 some rare debris of marine shells, contains teeth of a small 

 sort of shark. 



The bones appear to exist in one part only of the cave, on 

 the left of the entrance. They are heaped confusedly together, 

 sometimes entire, often broken and mutilated, but never worn 

 or rounded. The operation of digging for them, though diffi- 

 cult on account of the great softness of the clay, has been 



