§2. DISTRIBUTION OF THE TRIAS AND PERMIAN. 064 



limestone series, over the ancient kingdom of Permia, sug- 

 gested the present geological name of this formation. 



The Trias of Germany, distinct in its triple characters, 

 is well developed in Bavaria and Wirtemberg. Imme- 

 diately beneath the Lias is the series termed the Keiqjer, 

 which consists of variegated red and green marls and 

 sandstones, containing intercalations of salt and gypsum, as 

 in England. This group is superimposed on a fine cream- 

 coloured shelly limestone, called the JHuschelkalh, which 

 abounds in organic remains ; especially in that beautiful 

 extinct crinoidean, the Lily encrinite (Lign. 124), which is 

 exclusively found in this bed; the equivalent of the Muschel- 

 kalk is not known in England. The lowermost series is 

 the Bunter sandstein,* consisting of variegated sandstones 

 and marls, resembling those of the upper group. 



In the United States of North America the Trias 

 occupies the valley of the Connecticut, from Newhaven 

 to the north line of Massachusetts. It contains carboni- 

 ferous shale, with plants belonging to the fossil genera, 

 Catamites, Lycopodites, Voltzia, and Fucoides ; and bitu- 

 minous slate, with fishes resembling those of the Trias of 

 Europe.f These strata are invested with an extraordinary 

 degree of interest, from the abundance and variety of the 

 foot-prints of unknown animals with which the surface of 

 some of the laminated sandstones are impressed ; a pheno- 

 menon we shall presently examine. 



There does not appear to be any deposits in North America 

 that can be regarded as the equivalents of the Permian : in 

 that country the Palaeozoic series terminates with the Coal, 

 for the zone of Triassic deposits is the only indication of 



* Yariegated or spotted sandstone. 



f Eeview of the Geology of Massachusetts, by Professor Hitchcock, 

 of Amherst College. This work is alike honourable to the eminent 

 author, and the enlightened government by whose direction it was 

 undertaken. 





