Vol. 5 2. J DEPOSITS, ETC., IN BUB ALPINE SWITZERLAND. 569 



from the gravel and moraine-detritus under which it is generally 

 buried. We have, therefore, at the Albishorn clear evidence of 

 Deckenschotter, which, even at this high level, is overlain by 

 moraine and gravel of a younger glaciation. 



This is strikingly confirmed by an even more instructive exposure 

 near the summit of the Biirglenstutz, which latter is situated about 

 2 kilometres from the Albishorn towards the Uetliberg, and, being 

 at contour 918, is the highest point of the Albis range. The Molasse 

 appears here near contour 850, or practically at the same level as on 

 the Uetliberg and Albishorn, and is overlain by about 25 metres of 

 horizontally stratified, typical Deckenschotter, upon which follows 

 glacial clay and moraine to a depth of about 15 metres ; and this, 

 in its turn, is overlain by about 25 metres of much looser and 

 irregularly stratified gravel, which closely resembles the upper gravel 

 on the Albishorn. 



Altschloss. — One of the most remarkable deposits of Deckenschotter 

 is that of Altschloss, on the hills above Wadenswil on the left side 

 of, and about 1 kilometre from the lake, and near the Burghalden 

 station of the Wadenswil, Einsiedeln, and Goldau railway. The 

 exposure, which is shown in the diagram (fig. 7) in longitudinal 

 section, consists of three separate, originally connected cliffs of 

 extremely hard conglomerate, and the cliffs are crowned by the 

 ruins of the feudal castle of Altschloss, built, like the surrounding 

 wall and a bridge, entirely of this conglomerate. The identity of 



Fig. 7. — Section at Altschloss \ near Wadenswil. 



Longitudinal Section 

 Deckenschotter 



70 m. 



colour and the almost imperceptible passage from the natural to 

 the artificial structure produce the exceedingly striking effect of 

 the whole being one solid mass, and the perfect preservation of the 

 dressed blocks about 1 metre square attests the even more than 

 usual hardness of the conglomerate. The cliffs are about 10 metres 

 in height, and one of them contains a large cave, where sand appears 

 at the bottom of the horizontally stratified conglomerate. The cliffs 

 form part of a larger deposit which extends also to, and crowns, the 

 neighbouring hill of Gehren, and to the orphan asylum above 

 Wadenswil, as is evidenced by several cliff-like outcrops. The 

 contact of the Deckenschotter with the Molasse is obliterated by 

 detritus, talus, and vegetation ; but several springs which collect 

 the water at the bottom of the conglomerate show the contact to 

 be at about contour 550, while the summit of the Altschloss cliffs 

 is at contour 570. In my view, the Altschloss deposit shares with 



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