18 Mr. Weaver on Fossil Human Bones. [Jan. 



Elster, passing Politz and Kaschwitz ; that on the E, near Politz, 

 obtaining the greatest elevation. The bottom of the valley itself 

 is perfectly smooth, refreshing the eye with its verdant mea- 

 dows, diversified with groups of trees, from among which peep 

 villages and mills. From the heights above, an extensive, 

 varied, and very agreeable prospect may be enjoyed, particularly 

 toward the N in the direction of Gera. 



The foundation upon which the floetz formations repose, con- 

 sists of transition reddish-grey clayslate, and firm fine-grained 

 greywacke. The former may be seen in the valley of Eleonore, 

 ranging 30° E of S, and W of N, and dipping 70° — 76° to the 

 NE. It rests on the greywacke, which first appears behind 

 Kbstritz, rising further S into a considerable cliff, and exhibit- 

 ing in this quarter traces of old mining works. Lamellar sul- 

 phate of barytes, with disseminated malachite, occurs in one of 

 the old hillocks. The clayslate is immediately covered by the 

 older floetz limestone,* which rests upon it in an unconform- 

 able, and nearly horizontal position. The lowest strata are sandy, 

 and occasionally somewhat bituminous ; but in some places, 

 where they nearly adjoin the clayslate, they are also micaceous, 

 and of a smoke-grey colour (belonging to the so-called zechstein, 

 or argillaceous limestone), and are traversed by small veins and 

 fissures, which contain galena. In the upper strata, the sand, 

 mica, and bitumen, disappear entirely, and, in their stead, traces 

 of yellow ochraceous ironstone become visible. 



All these appearances are very common in this formation of 

 limestone. We no where observed, in the places we examined, 

 the bituminous or cupriferous marl shale, nor the todtliegende. 

 Both appear to be wanting in the vicinity of Kbstritz, and the 

 latter first occurs between Gera and Pforten, where it is exhibited 

 in all its varieties. •+- 



The limestone, just described, ranges principally on the left 

 bank of the Elster toward Gera, as far as the vicinity of Hart- 

 mannsdorf, and again on the right bank near Politz, where it is 

 well displayed in several quarries. On the other hand, the gyp- 

 sum, which is imbedded in, and subordinate to, this limestone, 



* The older floetz limestone of the Baron von Schlotheim, noticed above is the same, 

 sis the lower floetz limestone formation of Germany described by Freiesleben, the first 

 floetz limestone of Werner, the equivalent of what has been called the magnesian lime- 

 stone formation of England ; in illustration of which, see my papers in the Annals of 

 Philosophy, for October, November, and December, 1821 ; and August, 1822. — T.W. 



•f The meaning attached by the Baron von Schlotheim to the term todtliegende, is 

 consistent with that of German writers in general. In the restrictive sense, it signifies 

 the old red sandstone; in the enlarged, it comprehends the coal formation also; for 

 proof of which it may be sufficient to refer to the Petrefactenkunde, Introduction, p. 5 

 and 6, where the author observes, " Certain petrifactions are found in the coal sandstone 

 anil slate clay that are subordinate to the todtli:-gcndi\ or older floetz sandstone.,''' and 

 again in p. 385, of the work, " In a general point of view, petrified wood may be said 

 to be of rare occurrence in the coal measures of the older sandstone formation, as well as 

 in coal formations of more recent origin." I should hardly have thought it necessary 

 to advert to this construction of the term todtliegende, had it not been lately contro- 

 verted. — i^See also my Geological Remarks in the Annals of Philosophy, for August, 

 13£2.) I may here observe that todtli.gende, rothliegende, anil rothe todtliegende, are 

 synonymous terms with German authors. — T. W. 



