2 



ILLUSTR AXIOMS OF THE 



of Neptune, and being in want of weapons, was 

 fupplied from heaven by a fhower of ftones ; 

 hence it was called Campus Herculeus. 



This plain is on the eaft fide of the Rhone, 

 between Salon and Aries : it is of a triangu- 

 lar form, about twenty fquare leagues in ex- 

 tent, and is covered almoft entirely with quart- 

 zy gravel. This immenfe collection of gra- 

 vel has' been fuppofed by fome to have been 

 brought down by the Durance from the Alps 

 of Dauphiny y by others it has been afcribed 

 to the Rhone ; and by many to the fea, as 

 being a work too great for any river. The 

 explanation mentioned above, § 105, namely, 

 that the loof© gravel on the plain arifes from 

 the decompofition of a great ftratum of pudding- 

 ftone, which is the bafis of the whole, is the 

 opinion of Sauffure, and is founded on his own 



obfervations *, 



334. The theories that have been contrived for 

 explaining the phenomena of the plain of Crau, 

 afford an inftance of the neceffity of generaliz- 

 ing our obfervations before we can explain a par- 

 ticular appearance : in other words, they prove 



the 



* See Voyages aux Alpes, torn. iii. § 1592, et 1597* 

 See alfo on this fubjed a Memoir by Lamanon, Journal 



de Phyfic^qe, torn. xxii. p. 477 j an(J another by M- D^ 



Servieres, tbid. p. 270. 



