106 On the Formations of the Western Swiss Alps, 



resemblance to lias rocks. Nearly for a third of its thick- 

 ness, this formation contains cargnules and gj'psum in beds. 

 I never found nummiilites in the macigno, but in some loca- 

 lities, the remains of fishes are abundant : in it these are, 

 scales, fins, and small jaws. M. Agassiz regai'ds some of 

 these fragments as characterising the fishes of the cretaceous 

 epoch.* 



This formation seems to be identical with the Italian ma- 

 cigno, although M. Pilla in his new obsei'vations, on the hetru- 

 rian formation, places it below the nummulitic limestone. t 

 Like him, I have ascertained its independence. Indeed, while 

 travelling from Saint-Jeoire to Samoens in Savoy, we per- 

 ceive that this macigno or flysch runs in layers very nearly 

 horizontal, although undulated, along the right bank of the 

 Giffre. These layers rest, to the north-west, on the Jurassic 

 beds, and to the south-east, on the nummulitic limestone, 

 which is itself placed on the Chama ammonia limestone. This 

 observation proves that the macigno is independent of the 

 nummulitic limestone. Consequently, the nummulitic lime- 

 stone and the macigno are both independent of the cretaceous 

 formations, and independent of each other. 



The point of Marcely, which rises to about 1280 metres 

 above the little town of Tanninge, is wholly formed of the 

 nearly horizontal layers of which I have just spoken. This 

 number gives an approximate idea of the thickness of the 

 flysch formation. Now, as it has been subjected to all the 

 dislocations which have formed the relief in the foi*mations of 

 he Alps, it is probable that, in order to get the true height 

 to which many of the calcareous chains of the Alps arose in 

 ancient times, we ought to add to the actual height of the 

 needles and cones with vvhich they are covered, the thickness 

 of the formations which have been subjected to the same mo- 

 difications. Thus, it is necessary to add to the enormous 

 height of the Pointe Percie, X formed by the Chama ammonia 

 limestone, the thickness of the nummulitic formation and that 

 of the macigno. And to the Buet, the peak of which is ju- 



* Bulletin de la Soc. Gcolori. dc France, 1844, i., G2G. 



t Mem. du la Soc. Gcol. de Prance, 1846, ii. 163, and Archives, 1846, i. 107. 



* From Su2'']>lcmcnt a la Bib. Univ. dc Geneve, So. xviii. p. 120. 



