great difficulties in the way of all mining operations within the limits 

 of the magnesian limestone. On a great scale it is considered as un- 

 conformable to the coal strata, and nearly co-extensive with the 

 magnesian limestone; on which account it is classed with the latter 

 formation. (2.) Next described is a deposit consisting in some places 

 of shell-limestone, alternating with variously coloured marl, — and 

 in other places of thin-bedded, nearly compact limestone alternating 

 with bituminous marls. In the county of Durham this deposit is 

 associated with an extensive formation of marl-slate. In this marl, 

 slate many specimens of fish have been discovered ; some of which 

 appear to be identical in species with the fish in the marl-slate of 

 Thuringia. In the same deposit have also been found many vege- 

 table impressions. (3.) The great deposit of yellow magnesian 

 limestone is briefly noticed ; and it is stated not uncommonly to 

 exhibit traces of the muriates of lime and magnesia, a fact which 

 is supposed to connect it with the new-red-sandstone. (4.) The 

 deposit of red marl and gypsum imbedded in the formation of the 

 magnesian limestone is briefly described. (5.) Lastly is noticed the 

 deposit of thin-bedded limestone which surmounts the gypsum, and 

 in which magnesia is not so uniformly diffused as in the inferior mem- 

 ber of the formation. Traces of this deposit are said to have been 

 discovered in the county of Durham. And in Yorkshire beds of ga- 

 lena have been found subordinate to it, and worked with advantage. 

 (6.) Over all these deposits comes the great formation of red marl 

 and new-red-sandstone, which appears to be so intimately interlaced 

 with the preceding subdivisions of the magnesian limestone, that 

 the two formations cannot in any natural classification be separated 

 from each other. The fossils found in various parts of the magne- 

 sian limestone are noticed, and are supposed to form a suite which 

 more nearly resembles that of the carboniferous limestone than has 

 generally been imagined. 



A paper was read entitled " Observations on the bones of hyaenas 

 and other animals in the cavern of Lunel near Montpelier, and in 

 the adjacent strata of marine formation," by the Rev. W. Buckland, 

 D.D. Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in the University of 

 Oxford. 



In a journey through France in the month of March 1826, the 

 author visited the cave of Lunel near Montpelier, (to which his 

 attention had been drawn by the description of M. Marcel de Ser- 

 res,) for the purpose of instituting a comparison between it and the 

 caves in England previously described by himself; and the result 

 has established nearly a perfect identity in the animal and mineral 

 contents of the caverns, as well as in the history of their introduc- 

 tion. 



The cave of Lunel is situated in compact calcaire grassier? with 

 subordinate beds of globular calcareous concretions; the whole 

 of the rock having something of an oolitic structure. In working a 

 free-stone quarry of this calcaire grassier, the side of the present 

 cavern was accidentally laid open; and considerable excavations 

 have since been made in it, at the expense of the French Govern- 

 ment, for the purpose of extracting its animal remains that lie bu- 



