Structure of the Eastern Alps. 357 



c. Blue marls with bands of grit. In the marls are numerous fossils, among which the genera 

 Crassatella and Cerithium arc abundant ; and in the same beds are lumps or concretions of blue 

 limestone, with two species of Ilippurites. 



d. Great band of hard calc-grit, traversed by many white, calcareous veins. 



e. Blue marls with many fossils ; among which may be enumerated Fungiae ; many shells 

 resembling those of tertiary formations ; Hippurites ; a Gryphaja of a new species, but resembling 

 G. Columba ; &c. &c. 



/. Strong beds of a grey, arenaceous limestone with bluish veins. 



g. Blue and greenish marls and bands of sandstone ; with obscure vegetable impressions. 



The two preceding- sections will serve to convey at least a general notion of 

 the mineral structure of this group. 



3. A great system of blue marls, here and there with bands of indurated marl, calc-grit, or 

 sandstone, and abounding in well-preserved organic remains. 



These shell-marls are of very great thickness, and vary considerably in their 

 composition ; being* in some places greasy and unctuous, and in others meagre 

 and micaceous : but throughout they contain innumerable fossils. In conse- 

 quence of a slight inclination of the strata to the east, the shell-marls of the 

 Horn are brought down almost to the level of the valley of Gosau *, and are 

 laid bare by the torrents descending from the mountain side. They also 

 appear at Edelbach Graben, and in various ravines excavated by the waters on 

 the north side of the village of Gosau. In some deep gulleys near the base of 

 the Ressenberg, they are seen resting on thick beds of red and variegated 

 marls, which are probably connected with one of the lower groups. 



We may further observe, that the shelly marls of Edelbach Graben and 

 other ravines to the north of the village, are thrown off at various angles of 

 inclination from the salient masses of Alpine limestone (on which the whole 

 series rests unconformably), and are thus carried under the higher groups of 

 the Horn and the Ressenberg. 



The extraordinary abundance of well-preserved fossils gives a great impor- 

 tance to this subdivision of the ascending section. In it the Exogyrs, Hip- 

 purites, Trigonas, &c., of the preceding group (No. 2) are we believe wanting, 

 and their places are occupied by myriads of Pectunculi, Cerithia, Volutae, 

 Fusi, Mitrag, &c. &c. ; a very few Inocerami, and a very few Pectens (of a 

 species approaching P. quinquecostatus) , only remaining to remind us of 

 secondary strata. 



4. A series of strata (best exposed on the sides of the Ressenberg), in the following order : 



a. Blue and green marls, with bands of sandstone, and with obscure traces of vegetable 

 remains : apparently forming a passage into the lower group (No. 3). 



* Plate XXXVI. fig. 10. 



