308 T. Davidson — On the Geology of Nice. 



fifth, column I refer to my paper, "Tiber die Bracliiopoden der 

 Bohmischen Kreide" (Jahrb. d. k. k. Geol. Eeichsanstalt, 1863, 

 xviii. 1), and to my reports published during the summer of 1868, 

 in the " Verhandlungen d. k. k. Geol, Eeichsanstalt, where I have 

 explained in detail my views on the Cretaceous formation in Saxony 

 and Bohemia." 



2. — Notes on the Geology and Palceontology of the Neighhourhood 



of Nice. 



Nice, and its surrounding mountains, offer to the Geological as well 

 as to the PalEeontological inquirer, subjects of considerable interest, 

 I have, therefore, availed myself of a winter's residence in the 

 South of France to study some of their most important features. I 

 soon learned that the fashionable and much, frequented town of 

 Nice,^ possessed but two or three local Geologists, and indeed I 

 found that M. Ph. Geny, Inspector of the public promenades of the 

 town, was the only individual who devoted h.is serious attention to 

 the subject upon which I am writing. M. Geny, who from his 

 varied acquirements in Natural History, Geology, Palaeontology, 

 Botany, and Archseology, has been locally styled the " Buffon of 

 Nice," alone possesses in the town a really scientifically classed and 

 nearly complete local collection, which h.e shows with the utmost 

 courtesy to all those who desire to become acquainted with the 

 products of the district. Besides conducting me to the most im- 

 portant localities, he afibrded me much of the information I propose 

 to give here. 



To the Chevalier Perez I am likewise indebted for much politeness 

 and information. He had, in former years, paid considerable atten- 

 tion to the geology of the district, with which he is well acquainted. 

 Having been desirous of leaving Nice at the period of the annexa- 

 tion to France, he liberally presented his geological collection to the 

 small but interesting museum^ of the town. Somewhat prior to the 

 labours of the two gentlemen above named, the district had in a 

 measure been explored by the well-known chemist of the town, 

 Antonio Eisso, and the result of his labours (now much out of date) 

 were published in his work " Histoire Naturelle de I'Europe 

 Meridionale," and at the Villa Eisso may be seen many interesting 

 local fossils, assembled by the last-named naturalist. When we 

 have stated that M. Camere, one of the engineers of the town, 

 occasionally collects fossils, we shall have enumerated the geo- 

 logical resources of the place ; for although there exists a large 

 public library, scientific works are the greatest rarities therein, and 



1 Doctors sometimes most injudiciously send their exhausted patients to Nice, 

 ■without considering whether they can stand the diurnal variations in temperature, 

 discomforts, cost, and very indifferent food. 



2 This museum was founded hy A. J. B. Verany, a distinguished naturalist. It 

 contains, among other things, a good collection of recent shells, and a remarkable 

 series of models of all the mushrooms found in the Department of the Maritime 

 Alps. These have been made at a considerable cost by M. Brala, the present Director 

 of the Museum. There exists also a good collection of Butterflies, presented by M. 

 Haas, a zealous local J^Taturalist. 



