ANNUAL ADDRESS, MDCCCLXXIII. 51 



alkaline waters of Carlsbad in Bohemia, which contain, 

 according to the analysis of Berzelius, seventeen parts of 

 carbonate of lime for ten of carbonate of magnesia, de- 

 posit great masses of travertine, which is purely calcareous, 

 but if suffered to evaporate in open basins would after- 

 wards yield dolomite or magnesite." 



Without venturing to dispute the learned conclusions of 

 the authorities I have named, as to the organic origin of 

 the mountain limestone, I think I have stated grounds 

 sufficiently weighty for me to plead for a further inquiry, 

 with a view to ascertain whether there may not have 

 been the twofold agency at work (chemical as well as 

 organic,) to produce such stupendous results as those I 

 have so imperfectly attempted to describe. 



