GIANTS AND PIOMIES. 



47 



1 1.' 



Ronietimos it is coloured with oxide of iron, which stains it 

 jellow. The gypsum is vSonietiines mixed with lime, marl and 

 clay. Ordinarily three beds of gy[)siim are distinguished 

 sop.irated from ea(;h othtM* by white, yellow or greenish marls. 

 The upper bed contains the greatest number of animal remains. 

 A few fresh-water shells have lieen found in it, such as 

 Lyiiuiara, Plannrhis, Ci/c/ostouiii. It is most hirgely developed 

 about Paris, Montmartre, Pantin, Ivry, and in the ilepartment 

 of Seme and Marne and about Chiiteau-Thiery. Animal 

 remains of course presuppose the existence of animals. When 

 did these animals come into being ] Our geology cannot fix a 

 datt' ; how long they lived and when they died are also unscr* 

 tainties. Many of the animals were veg'tarians. In the 

 economy of nature the food supply generally anticipates the 

 consumer. Tlie written record of Creation reveals this 



ariangement. 



The Geological seems to indicate the same. 



29, In our rambles around Paris we often looked at a 

 lofty iron tower of considerable height, which wo found out to 

 1)e the celelmited Artesian well of Grenelle — from which is 

 derived a very considerable part of the water 8U}t[)ly of the 

 city. The supply from ordinary sources being inadequate, 

 M. Arago, the Astronomer and (icologist, in consultation with 

 other Geologists, came to the conclusion that owing to the 

 character of the Formations of the Paris IJasin and their 

 arrangement, a store of water might uiulerlio tlie city at a 

 gre;it depth. They inferred the existence of the Lower 

 Cretaceous Greensands under the Chalk. This outcropped at 

 the edges of the Paris Basin umlerlying the Chalk at distances 

 of GO or 80 miles, e. g., in the Champagne district. It was 

 supposed that if this should extend under Paris, the distant 

 rainfalls might thereby be brought so as to be reached by the 

 Artesian process of boring. He therefore urged the govern- 

 ment to make the attenipt. This was about the year 1834. 

 The work was then commenced. Eight years were spent in 

 boring ; difficulties, discouragements and delays protracted the 

 W(irk. Arago's influence, uowever, prevailed. At length in 

 1841 this scientitic auto da fe triumphed. At the depth of 



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