518 



BURYING OF FOSSILS IN 



[Ch. XLV. 



have been the late wars in Greece, that skeletons are often 

 seen lying exposed on the surftice of the country * 



In summer, when no water is flowing into the Katavothron 



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mouth, halt closed up with red mud, is masked 



vegetation, which is cherished by the moisture of the place. 

 It is then the favourite hiding-place and den of foxes and 



same 



year for the habitation of carnivorous beasts, and at another 

 as the channel of an engulfed river. Near the mouth of one 

 chasm, M. Boblaye and his companions saw the carcass of a 

 horse, in part devoured, the size of which seemed to have 



om 



marks 



their teeth were observed on the bones, and it was evident 

 that the floods of the ensuing winter would wash in whatso- 

 ever might remain of the skeleton. 



It has been stated that the waters of all these torrents 

 of the Morea are turbid where they are engulfed; but when 

 they come out again, often at the distance of many leagues, 

 they are perfectly clear and limpid, being only charged 

 occasionally with a slight quantity of calcareous sand. The 

 points of efflux are usually near the sea-shores of the Morea. 



sometimes 



ubmari 



case, the sands are seen to boil up for a considerable space, 

 and the surface of the sea, in calm weather, swells in large 



It is curious to reflect, that when this 



convex waves. 



discharge fails in seasons of drought, the pressure of the sea 

 may force its salt waters into subterraneous caverns, and 

 carry in marine sand and shells, to be mingled with ossiferous 

 mud, and the remains of terrestrial animals. 



In general, however, the efflux of water at these inferior 



seemm 



prove that the caverns in the interior serve as reservoirs^ and 



from them 



of the smallness of the rents and passages by which they 

 communicate with the surface. 



The phenomena above described are not confined to the 

 Morea^ but occur in Greece generally^ and in those parts of 



*■ Bull, de la Soc. Geol. de France, torn. iii. p. 223. 



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