410 Professor Sedgwick and Mr. Murchison on the 



The fossils of the different secondary groups, above enumerated, can seldom 

 be specifically identified with the fossils of the corresponding formations in 

 this Island. To this remark, however, the organic remains of the transition 

 slate of Bleiberg, as well as the organic remains of some parts of the green- 

 sand and cretaceous groups, may be quoted as partial exceptions. 



G. On the north flank of the Alps the nummulitic groups are very largely 

 developed ; so as not only to enter into the composition of the green-sand 

 and cretaceous system ; but also to rise into a newer order of strata, con- 

 taining many fossils hitherto unobserved except in tertiary formations, and 

 surmounted by still higher conformable strata with a large suite of unmixed 

 tertiary fossils. As these newer nummulitic deposits are overlaid by no 

 known secondary formation, we regard them as a transition group connect- 

 ing the secondary and tertiary systems. We place them between the cal- 

 caire-grossier and the chalk ; and do not think that their equivalents are 

 found in any part of England, or in the north of France. This conclusion 

 is founded on the details given in the Arzt, the Kressenberg and the Unters- 

 berg sections*. 



7. A similar transition is seen among groups of overlying unconformable 

 strata, existing here and there at high elevations within the limits of the 

 secondary system. The most remarkable phenomena of this kind are de- 

 tailed in the third chapter. 



8. The tertiary formations on the flanks of the Salzburg and Bavarian Alps 

 (essentially composed of alternating masses of marl, sandstone, and conglo- 

 merate), have a prevailing dip towards the north, but their angle of inclina- 

 tion gradually diminishes as they recede from the outskirts of the secondary 

 system. In their range towards the west the subordinate sandstone (molasse) 

 becomes greatly expanded, and they seem gradually to conform to the type 

 of the tertiary deposits of Switzerland t- In many of the low regions, extend- 

 ing towards the plains of the Danube, they are overlaid and almost entirely 

 concealed by horizontal deposits of coarse gravel and conglomerate. 



9. There are several deposits of lignite within the limits of these tertiary 

 formations; but not all on the same parallel ; as some belong to the lower 

 and others to the higher groups. These deposits are not properly formations 

 of fresh water; but seem to have been drifted mechanically into marine bays 

 or estuaries. The most remarkable of them is at H'aring, in the valley of 

 the Inn ; and though it has the external characters and structure of a lacus- 

 trine formation, it contains some marine shells, resembling those of the older 

 tertiary groups. It also contains many plants ; but out of eleven species, 



* Supra, pp. 337, 341, & 346. t Supra, pp. 324, 329. 



