1865.] 



Geology and Palceontology. 



473 



thirty-six " central masses," the first twenty of which are included in 

 the annexed sketch-map. They are distinguished as follows : — 



Central Masses of the 



1. Ligurian Alps. 



19. Sureta. 



2. Maritime Alps. 



20. Four Lakes. 



3. Cottian Alps. 



21. Bernina. 



4. Graian Alps. 



22. Monte Adamello. 



5. Sesia. 



23. Selvretta. 



6. Monte Rosa. 



24. Stelvio. 



7. Pelvoux, or Oisans. 



25. Oetzthal. 



8. Yannoise. 



26. Ortles. 



9. Valais. 



26 bis. Trentaises. 



10. Simplon. 



27. Tauern. 



11. Les Eousses. 



28. Ankogel. 



12. Belledonne, or the Western Alps. 



29. Drau. 



13. Mont Blanc. 



30. Carnian Alps. 



14. Aiguilles Rouges. 



31. Styrian Alps, or Hoehgolling 



15. Finsteraarhorn. 



32. Gurk. 



16. St. Gothard. 



33. Carinthian Alps. 



17. Tessin. 



34. Bacherwald. 



18. Adula. 



35. Summering. 



Fig. 1. — Sketch-map of a Portion of the Alps, showing the relationship of some of the 

 principal "Central masses." 



M. Desor also shows that although there is no proper Alpine 

 "chain," the "central masses" have yet a certain relation to one 

 another, and he refers those shown in the map to three "groups," 

 namely, the Dauphiny group (marked D), the Valais group (marked 

 W), and the Piedmont group (marked P). 



The following section along the St. Gothard route further eluci- 

 dates the relations of the central masses, and shows that although they 

 are often close together, so that in a broad sense some geographers 

 may consider them to form a chain, yet that the fact of their not 



