Environs ofLons le Saunter. 141 



Lastly, two small salt springs have been mentioned to me 

 as occurring in the communes of St. Lauthain and Tour- 

 mont j a quarry of gypseous alabaster was formerly worked 

 in the former. 



These indications are perfectly in accordance with the 

 nature of the rock which serves as a base to the ground of 

 the three communes ; and it is remarkable, that their posi- 

 tion, with regard to the springs of Lons le Saunier, is at a 

 small distance from the general direction of the beds. 



In the upper part of the valley of Lons le Saunier, the 

 gryphite formation totally disappears beneath the oolite for- 

 mation ; but it begins to rise below the village of Conliege, 

 where it forms small hillocks, which have a direction from 

 S.E. to N.W., and it is easy to distinguish the neighbouring 

 rock solely from their aspect. 



I here state that the gryphite limestone formation is be- 

 neath that of the oolite limestone. I should premise that 

 this important allegation is not the result of doubtful obser- 

 vations, but that I have already seen, by the aid of many 

 sections, at Montaigu, Montmorot, &c. the rocks of the 

 second formation cover those of the first ; the suite of this 

 memoir will moreover shew that not a step can be made in 

 the environs of Lons le Saunier without acquiring proofs of 

 this fact. 



At the foot of the village of Perrigny, a bed is seen in 

 which the gryphites are transformed into pearl spar ; their 

 white colour contrasts with the base of the rock, coloured 

 dark red by oxide of iron : it is placed five metres [^about 17 

 feet] above the variegated marls. 



This peculiarity is only interesting because a similar lime- 

 stone is found at great distances from each other, belonging 

 no doubt to the same bed. At the end of the meadow, and 

 from this point to Lons le Saunier, the gryphite beds have 

 still a S.E. and N.W. direction, that is, the same as this 

 portion of the valley ; but they again acquire, at a short 

 distance, their general direction, which varies little from a 

 N. and S. line. 



