§ II. GEOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 



On the landing place of the stairs by the side of 

 the door is a very large jointed basaltic column 

 from La Tour, in the department of Puy-de- 

 Dome, given by the late M. Desmarest of the 

 academy of sciences. This column is surmounted 

 by a beautiful pyramid of rock crystal 2 feet 

 6 inches in diameter at the base : it was found in 

 Le Valais. Next to it are two other jointed 

 basaltic columns from the giant's causeway in 

 Antrim in Ireland, and other irregular columns 

 from Saint Sandoux, in Puy-de-D6me. These ob- 

 jects announce our approach to the geological 

 collection which occupies the three first saloons 

 of the first floor. 



The entrance hall contains the remains of vege- 

 tables and invertebrated animals which are found 

 in a great number of strata. These remains, which 

 almost all belong to lost species, are classed geo- 

 logically, that is according to the date of the for- 

 mations in which they are found. The greater 

 number are accompanied by a portion of the rock 

 which contained them. 



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