142 Correspondence — M. Alphonse Favre. 



Protosphyrama, but to a species of Xiphias to which, he gave the 

 trivial name of X. Dixoni. Subsequently, Prof. Cope described his 

 genus Erisichthe, which certainly embodies both of Leidy's species. 

 I may mention here that the prolonged ethmoids are found in our 

 Chalk, Upper Greensand, and Gault ; and here also are found (and 

 in no other deposit) the peculiar fin-rays referred to Ptychodus by 

 Agassiz. From this association the inference is natural, that the 

 ethmoids and fins belong to the same species of fish, viz. the 

 Protosphyrcena of Leidy, Erisichthe, Cope. (See paper by W. Davies, 

 F.G.S., on Saurocephalus lanciformis of the British Cretaceous 

 Deposits, with description of a new species, Geol. Mag. 1878, 

 Decade II. Vol. Y. p. 254, PL VIII.)— W. D. 



A MONUMENT TO HORACE-BENEDICT DE SAUSSURE. 1 

 (Born at Geneva, 1740; Died 1799.) 



Sir, — Chamounix is preparing to erect a monument in memory of 

 our fellow-citizen H. B. de Saussure. 



This memorial will be placed at the foot of Mont Blanc, whose 

 lofty summit the illustrious savant indefatigably reached, not far 

 distant from the Col du Geant, where, in pursuit of science, he 

 encamped amidst snow and ice for sixteen days. In short, it will 

 adorn the central position from which all the Alpine excursions of 

 this intrepid explorer originated. 



It is impossible to enumerate here all the titles acquired by De 

 Saussure in the scientific world. Let us only remember that he was 

 an eminent physician, a distinguished meteorologist, a charming 

 writer, who devoted thirty of the best years of his life to the study of 

 those Alps whose beauties he revealed with precision and poetic 

 feeling, and as a conscientious and indefatigable investigator he 

 became one of the founders of modern geology by placing that 

 science on its true basis — observation. 



The proposal to raise a monument naturally met with the most 

 sympathetic support when it was presented to the members of the 

 Alpine Clubs of all countries, who met at Chamounix in August, 

 1883, and at Turin in August, 1885. 



Since then an Executive Committee has been formed, composed of 

 Messrs. Folliguet (Mayor of Chamounix), Tairrez Payot, Thevenet, 

 President, and Maillot, Secretary of the Mount Blanc section of the 

 French Alpine Club, soliciting them to assist with their subscriptions 

 the erection of a monument. 



Switzerland and Geneva in particular would wish to be associated 

 with the homage rendered to the merits of our eminent citizen. 

 Above all, the people of Geneva ought to be interested in a monu- 

 ment designed to preserve the memory of a man who shed such 

 lustre on our city and our ancient Academy. One knows, in fact, 

 that in spite of his numerous travels and his absorbing scientific 

 studies, he found time during many years to occupy a modest 



1 Among various writings, his most important work is the record of his Alpine 

 observations : "Voyages dans les Alpes," in 4 vols. 1779-96. 



