■Fossil Bones of Saint-Privat d'AlUer. 279 



a long explanation of the geological features of this portion of 

 the district of Velay, which, we fear, would scarcely be intel- 

 ligible to the reader without a reference to the large map an- 

 nexed to his '^Description geognostique des Environs du Puy^ 

 and, indeed, without the assistance of the volume itself, to 

 which the present memoir serves as a very useful appendix. 

 We shall therefore endeavour in our own words to abstract so 

 much of the substance of the author's researches, as is neces- 

 sary to be understood, in connection with the circumstances 

 under which the deposit of fossil bones has taken place. 



In the province of Velay in France, the river AUier, which 

 takes its rise from more distant mountains, runs for a distance 

 of nine leagues a course not very far from parallel with the 

 Loire ; a chain of volcanic mountains extending from S. S. E. 

 to N. N. W., and from three to four leagues or more across, 

 separating the two rivers. These dividing mountains have pri- 

 mary rocks for their base, which here exhibit a junction of 

 granite with gneiss, the latter being found near the Allier, as 

 we approach St Privat. Along this line numerous flows of 

 lava issuing from volcanic mouths may be traced, which, from 

 their relations of superposition, and from the nature of the 

 products ejected, have evidently belonged to ages the most 

 recent of the long period during which subterranean fires 

 have ravaged the soil of the Velay. Some of the flows of lava 

 in issuing from the ridges of the chain, have fallen into the 

 Loire ; while others, of an enormous magnitude, have emptied 

 themselves into the bed of the Allier. During the occasional 

 intervals of these eruptions, we are assured by the result of 

 the discovery which is the subject of the present memoir, that 

 this chain of mountains was inhabited by different races of 

 animals, which harboured in the lateral vallies connected with 

 the Allier. One of these small vallies, that of Saint-Privat, 

 takes its rise from the heights of Vernet, from which several 

 streams of lava have issued, most of which, in following the 

 slope of the defile, have served to fill up an intermediate ex- 

 panse of hollow near Mercceur. Some of these flows, however, 

 have greatly extended their course ; one of them terminating in 

 a narrow ravine to the east of Saint-Privat ; another losing 

 itself in a small valley, ordinarily without water, which descends 



