NATURAL HISTORY. 
the continents have likewise been 
exposed to similar revolutions ; and, 
in short, that the last great débacle, 
or bouleversement, is not, by se- 
yeral centuries, of so remote a date 
as has been generally supposed. 
VII. From the sandy hills which 
compose the valley described in the 
eighth chapter, containing different 
species of marine fossils, and which 
are asif enclosed or wedged in the 
midst of high calcareous mountains, 
which do not contain any ; from the 
direction of this valley, which tends 
from north to south: from the petri- 
fied trees likewise found ten feet be- 
low the soil of the same valley, in 
the environs of Nice, resting on cal- 
careous beds, the roots of which 
contained in their ramifications a 
quantity of marine fossils ; I am in- 
duced-to conclude, 1. That the sea, 
in its slow and gradual r-treat, 
must have formed an extensive 
gulph in the neighbourhoed of 
Escarene; and that the calcareous 
mountains, above alluded to, served 
as its eastern and western boundary. 
2. That the summit of the sandy 
hills, which now form the inner val- 
ley, indicate as nearly as possible 
the elevation of the bottom of the 
gulph at that period. In fine, that 
the waters having afterwards effec- 
ted their retreat in that place, from: 
north to south, had, as it were, 
traced out the valley, which has 
since been finished by the draining 
of that part of the sea which had 
been accidentally retained in some 
of the bigher valleys, in consequence 
of having broken, by its weight and 
action, the calcareous barrier which 
for a time retained it. 
VIL. From the abrupt state of 
| the calcareous mountains which 
border the Mediterranean coast 
[*78 
from Nice to Savona; from their 
extreme height or elevation; from 
the depth of the sea which washes 
their basis ; as likewise from .the di- 
rection of the rivers and. valleys of 
that part of the chain, which isin 
general from north to south, and the 
vast number of gypsum quarries 
which are withina mile ar two of 
the coast; I am led to suppose, 
1. That the major part of the se- 
condary and tertiary chain of the 
Alps still remains covered by the 
sea. 2. That it appears’ probable 
that those mountains may extend to 
the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. 
In fine, that a number of these cal- 
careous mountains owe their abrupt- 
ness to the last retreat of the sea, 
which bad, by insensibly undermin- 
ing their basis, occasioned part of 
their mass to detach and fall into the 
water, from their not having at that 
period acquired the same degree of 
consistence which they now pos- 
SESS. 
1X. From not having been able, 
with the greatest care and attention, 
to trace or discover the least indica- 
tion of volcanic operations from 
La Bouchette, near Genoa, to Mont 
Viso, in. Piedmont, which are the 
two mountains which terminate the 
maritime chain, I think myself aus 
thorised to say that there does not 
appear to have existed any  vol- 
canos in that part of the Alps, ex- 
cept in the valley of Fontaine du 
Temple, mentioned in the last chap- 
ter, and which, from not having - 
been able properly to inyestigate, f 
cannot to a certainty venture to 
give my opinion. 
These are the conclusions I de- 
duce from the foregoing premises 
and which I offer to the considera- 
tion of the public with some diffi- 
dence 
