$56 
Paris, very extensive beds of stone, that 
contain only fresh water shells, which 
appear to haye been deposited in ponds 
or lakes. Some of these beds of stone 
are separated by intermediate strata of 
marine formation. This seems to prove 
that the sea bas made an irruption on the 
continent, which it bad {formerly aban- 
doned, and confirms the traditions of a 
deluge, so universally spread amongst 
different nations, . Upon beds of gypsum 
in the same neighbourhood, which conr 
tain the bones of reptiles, and of fish, 
with fresh water shells, and petrified 
trunks of palm trees, repose beds of 
stone, containing innumerable quanti- 
ties of marine shells only; and again 
upon these, other beds of fresh water 
shells, but of a kind entirely different 
from the former. Lt is impossible to 
have more clear and manifest indications 
ef the revolutions which have taken 
_ place:on the surface of the globe. 
M. Sage and M. Cubieres have directed 
the attention of philosophers to a sin- 
gular fact, which has excited innume- 
rable conjectures.’ In the neighhour- 
hood of Puzzoli, three erect columns of 
small temple have been discovered, 
thirty French feet below the present le- 
vel of the sea, al} of them pierced and 
bored to the same height, by dails and 
polades, a kind of marine shell fish, 
which penetrate into the densest stones 
immerged under the surface of the sea. 
Have these coluinns been taken from 
aquarry formerly under the surface of 
the sea?, But why sbould they have 
chosen stones so perforated ; and how 
does it hnppen that the perforations ex- 
tend exactly to the same height in. each 
column? Has the temple been succes- 
sively sunk and raised again in a volcanic 
country, sulject to so many irregular 
movenients? But how, after such vio- 
Jent shocks could the columns remain 
erect? Have volcanic eruptions opened 
deep ravines which have closed at one 
extremity, and have kept the temple 
confined ina kind.of lake until a passage 
was opencd, and restored the ground to 
Proceedings of Learned Societies. ' 
—s Ue 
[May 1, 
its natural dryness? There are difficule 
ties attending all these explanations, 
particularly the two last. How could 
such important changes haye taken place 
after the construction of the temple, and 
haye left no trace in history or in the 
memory ofman? ‘hey frequently speak 
of the eruption in tbe year 1528, when: 
the hill called Monte-novo was formed, 
and when the sea invaded a part of the 
coast; but there is no tradition of suc. 
cessive revolutions. Near this temple 
bas been discovered a particular variety 
of marble, of which M. Cubieres has 
read an analysis to the Institute. It is 
white, semi-transparent, and receives a 
fine polish; it dissolves with difheulty in 
the nitric acid, and gives sparks with 
steel; it contains twenty-two parts in 
every hundred of magnesia. M. Cu- 
bieres has called it the Greek magnesian 
marble, and thinks it is the same which 
the ancients made use of in constructing 
their temples without windows, that re- 
ceived light only through the transparent 
walls, ; 
Physiology.—The following question 
was proposed two years since, but, no 
satisfactory answer having been received, 
the prize of 5000 francs will he given to 
the best memoir on the subject, which 
shall be received before October the ist, 
1812: ‘* Does there exist any circulation 
in those animals known under the name 
of Asteria or Star Fish, Echini or Sea 
Urchins, and Holothariz, ou Pzriapes de 
Mer.” Incase any circulation be found, 
it is required to describe the organs by 
which, it is carried on. The description 
must .be accompanied with observations 
made upon living animals, and include 
the vessels of respiration if there be any 
particular ones, as well as those of cir- 
culation. Jt would also be desirable 
ascertain the chemical effect of <7, 
respiration on water and on air; but 
this ig not absolutely required, Tt will 
be necessary that, the descriptions should 
be accompanied with drawings, that the 
principal details may easily be verj. 
fied, 
~  ‘VARTETIES 
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