Structure of the Eastern Alps. 319 



reous beds are of much g-reater thickness, and have all the common, mineral 

 characters of the Alpine limestone/' &c. &c. 



Again, we distinctly stated — "that the ridges of indurated shale, sandstone, 

 and limestone, on the northern outskirts of tiie chain, were considered as the 

 equivalents of the green-sand and chalk ; the conclusion being apparently 

 borne out by the position of the subordinate beds, as well as by their fossils, 

 and in some instances also confirmed by their mineral contents." Extending 

 our remarks to the southern Italian Alps, we alluded to the observations 

 of MM. Maraschini and Catullo ; adding — "that the latter gentleman had, by 

 the help of a great suite of organic remains, proved the existence of beds of 

 the age of the green-sand, superior to rocks containing organic remains of the 

 oolitic series — and that, nearBelluno, Feltri, Canal di Brenta, &c., the system 

 terminates in ared-and-white, fissile limestone (sc«gZ/a), with many flints, which 

 from its structure, position, and fossils, has been identified with the chalk." 



Again, appealing to our personal observations made in the summer of 1829, 

 Ave described the vast development of a nummulite-limestone between Adelsberg 

 and Trieste, but were unable to decide how far it descended into the secondary 

 series. We however added — "that the formations in the ascending order 

 undergo a great change before they reach the Adriatic ; the calcareous beds 

 (chiefly composed of a compact, light-grey limestone, full of Nummulites) no 

 longer predominating; but becoming subordinate to great masses of bluish 

 grey, micaceous shale, and of sandstone of a grey or greenish grey colour, 

 and here and there containing a few traces of carbonaceous matter — that 

 along the shores of the Adriatic for several leagues south of Trieste, the mi- 

 caceous shale is so abundant as to produce a succession of ruinous cliff's, ap- 

 parently held together only by the subordinate bands of sandstone and num- 

 mulite-limestone" — and, finally, "that this upper system is now generally 

 regarded as the representative of the green-sand and chalk — a conclusion in 

 perfect accordance with our views of the structure of the district*." 



We have made these quotations, partly because they give a correct de- 

 scription of some portions of the group we are describing ; but chiefly because 

 it has been repeatedly stated by Dr. Boue during the past year, both in British 

 and foreign journals, that we either overlooked this group altogether, or 

 where we did notice it, classed it with the tertiary deposits. Both these asser- 

 tions are entirely erroneous. It was impossible to overlook the beautifully un- 

 dulating ridges, (composed of calcareous gritstone, fucoid sandstone, shale, &c.) 

 ranging almost without interruption from the head of the Lake of Constance 

 to Vienna ; often widely expanded on the skirts of the chain, and always con- 

 trasted by their forms, their vegetation, and their forests, with the bare, sterile 

 * See Phil. Mag. and Annals, N.S., vol. \\\\. p. 103—108. 



