Formations of the Lombard Alps. 281 



3dly. He also refers to this formation, but still more 

 doubtfully, circumstances not having permitted him to ob- 

 serve this rock in place and in detail, the granulated green 

 rock, sometimes mentioned by the name of green sand (gres 

 yert), which occurs on the summit of the high alpine lime- 

 stone mountains at the opening of the valley of Claris, near 

 Nefels, and perhaps in many other places,* rocks which 

 contain the remains of shells that generally resemble those 

 of the upper sediment (tertiary) rocks, and especially a 

 great quantity of nummulites, which, as is known, tolerably 

 well characterize this formation, yet without exclusively 

 J)elongiDg to it.+ 



another part of this selection, has described the latter rock among those 

 he has referred to the green sand. 



* M. Brongniart adds tlie following note, in his separately published 

 memoir on the Vicenlin, to his notice of the Glaris rocks. (Trans.) 



" M. A. Boue has observed a similar rock, which he names gres vert, 

 and which he refers to the green sand (glauconie crayeuse), in two places 

 of the first line of the N.W. slope of the Alps, on the side of Bavaria, 1st. 

 near Sonthofen, 2ndly near Trauenstein. These rocks rise from 300 to 

 1000 metres [984 to 3280 feet] above the valleys ; their nearly vertical 

 beds incline to the S. ; they rest on smoke-grey compact limestone (zech- 

 stein), and even here and there on more recent deposites. The formation 

 is principally composed of quartzose sandstone, chlorite or ferruginous 

 sandstone, of compact glauconie (green sand), of brownish or reddish 

 limestones, with disseminated nodules of granular hydrate of iron ; these 

 calcareous rocks are full of nummulites. We also observe in this forma- 

 tion, and especially in the ferruginous beds, Belemnites, Ammonites, 

 Ananchites, Gryphites, Pecteijs, Sharks teeth, &c. 



" Now if all these shells are associated in the same beds, as the note 

 M. Boue addressed to me seems to indicate, these formations resembling 

 that of Glaris in the green arenaceous rock, and the nummulites would 

 certainly belong to the green sand, and these observations would make it 

 presumable that the gres vert of Glaris, Sarnen, &c. belongs to it also." 

 Memoire, &c. p. 50 & 51. 



+ The author also refers some rocks in the environs of Mayence to the 

 calcaire grossier. In which opinion he is supported by M. Steininger^ 

 who however does not consider the fresh water formation as alternating 

 with it, but as resting upon it. (Trans.) 



