k 



HUTTONIAN THEORY. 



•vn* 



377 



terials of the prefent foil, and particularly the 



gravel contained in it. 

 338. Pudding-ftones being very liable to de- 



compofition, have probably, in mod countries, 

 afforded a large proportion of the loofe gra- 

 vel now found in the foil. The mountains, 

 or at leaft hills, pf this rock, which are found in 

 many places, prove the great extent of fuch de- 

 compoiition. Mount Rigi, for inflance, on the 

 fide of the Lake of Lucerne, is entirely of pud- 

 ding-ftone, and is 742 toifes in height, meafured 

 from the level of the lake. By the defcriptions 

 given of it, as well as of other hills of the fame 

 kind in Switzerland, we may, without due at- 

 tention, be led to fuppofe that they are entirely 

 i i"% gdje* formed of loofe gravel. Even M. Saufliire's de- 

 bt pnfli:!""e, k{ Icription is chargeable with this fault, though, 

 iasiveffli! when attended to, it will be found to contain 



a fufficient proof, that this hill is compofed of 

 real pudding- flone*. The nature of the thing 

 alfo, would be fufficient to convince us, that a 

 hill, more than 4C00 feet in height, could not 

 confifl of loofe and unconfolidated materials. 



If, then, we regard Mount Rigi as the re- 

 mains of a body of pudding-ftone ftrata, we muft 

 eonclude, that thefe llrata were originally more 

 extenlive, and the adjacent valleys and plains will 



ferve. 



tt Worcellerl 



a rock ii \i 



. Thefe f:e 



/ 



* Voyages aux Aljpes, tom^iv. § 19414 



^ 



