TRANSLATIONS AND NOTICES 



OF 



GEOLOGICAL MEMOIRS. 



On the NuMMULiTic, Cretaceous, and Jurassic Terrains of 

 the Maritime Alps, near Nice. By Prof. A. Perez. 



[Sui Limiti Geognostici del Terreno Cretaceo delle Alpi marittime, per A. Perez. 

 Estratto degli Atti dell' otava Riuiiione degli Scienzati Italian! in Genova; 

 Sezione di Geologia; Seduta delli 23 Settembre 1846. 8vo. Nizza, 1853, pp. 15.] 



In the writings of Sismonda * and Pareto f the Cretaceous terrain 

 of the Maritime Alps is represented as consisting — its upper part, 

 of the xllpine nummuUtic terrain, — and its lower, of the yellow com- 

 pact limestone of the neighbourhood of Nice and the deposits inter- 

 mediate to this and the nummulitic rocks. To elucidate this subject, 

 I think it necessary to commence by tracing the arrangement and 

 succession of these strata, referring both to the labours of the above- 

 named geologists, and to the additional observations made by myself. 



Nummulitic rocks. — The series of nummulitic rocks, so prevalent 

 in the Maritime Alps, is considerably developed at Mortola, where it 

 was observed long ago by De la Beche^:, and since described with 

 much exactness by Pareto in his ' Description of Genoa.' Having 

 visited this locality for the purpose of comparing it with those of 

 Pallarea, Fontana Giarrie, Contes, Braus, Villanova (Provence), 

 Berra, Poggetto, and Roccasterone, I could not find any other 

 difference between the nummulitic terrain of Mortola and that of the 

 above-cited places, than what would arise from the greater or less 

 development of the series, or from the absence of one or more of its 

 members. The order, the fossils, the relations, and the characters 

 are identical. 



Not wishing to repeat what can be read in the * Description of 

 Genoa,' I shall not describe the upper part of this terrain, but will 

 confine my observations to its lower portion, which, lying upon the 



* Osservazioni Geologiche suUe Alpi marittime e sugli Apennini Liguri. 1841. 

 See also Classificazione del Terreni stratificati delle Alpi tra il Monte Bianco e la 

 Contea di Nizza ; Mem. R. Accad. So. Torino, ser. 2. vol. xiii. 1851. — Transl. 



t Liguria marittima. Descrizione di Genova, art. Geologia ; in the " Guide " 

 presented to the Members of the Italian Scientific Association at the meeting in 

 Genoa in 1846. 



X Trans. Geol. Soc. London, 2nd ser. vol. iii. pt. 1.— Transl. 

 VOL. XI. — PART II. B 



