Scientific Inttlligence. — Geology. 197 



15. Number of' Species of Fossil Shells in the Paris Basin. — 

 M. Deshayes, in a note to the French Academy of Sciences, in- 

 timates, that the total number of species of fossil shells in the 

 Paris Basin determined until this time is 1200. 



16. More Caves containing Bones of extinct Animals mixed 

 with works of art. — M. Marcel des Serres has discovered several 

 new caves, containing bones of extinct animals buried along with 

 works of art. These caves, few in number, occur in the south-west 

 of the department of Herault, at a short distance from the town of 

 Bize. The bones, which are very numerous, belong chiefly to 

 the Ursus spelcBus and Ursus arctoideus. The works of art 

 found along with these are fragments of very coarse and imper- 

 fectly made pottery. All these bones and fragments of pottery, 

 irregularly mixed together, are contained in a red mud, which 

 also incloses small rolled fragments of rocks, of various kinds. 

 This mud is analogous to that which occurs in other caves in 

 different parts of Europe, and which contains only the remains 

 of extinct animals. Dr Boue, we observe, has just read a com- 

 munication on this subject to the French Academy. In 1823 

 he found at Lahr, in what he considers marly diluvium, human 

 bones. Cuvler, to whom these remains were shev/n, agreed 

 that they were human, but conjectured they might have been 

 from some very ancient burying-ground. During the present 

 year, our active friend has again visited this place, which-is on 

 the Rhine, and is more convinced than ever that they are of 

 equal antiquity with the remains of antediluvian animals found 

 in the same beds of marly diluvium, — while others contend, 

 from the marl occurring on the banks of a river, that it may be 

 of comparatively recent origin. As the subject will now under- 

 go a thorough examination, it may be worth while to mention, 

 that Schlotheim, Donati, Germar, Razoumouski, and Guittard, 

 in their writings, mention their having found human bones along 

 with remains of antediluvian animals. Cordier, we are in- 

 formed, will soon publish a memoir on this curious subject. 



17. Natural History Society of Switzerland. — The first vo- 

 lume of the Memoirs of the Natural History Society of Switzer- 

 land is about l<> leave the press. It contains two very interest- 



ng n)cm(>irs on the Jura by Merian an 1 Rengger, one by Lusser 



