262 



If in the former of these spots it lies on a very- 

 recent shelly breccia, it forms on the contrary 

 in Austria, near Ischel, a considerable stratum * 

 in the Alpine lime-stone, which, though equally 

 posterior to the existence of organized beings 

 on the Globe, is nevertheless of high antiquity, 

 as is proved by the great number of rocks with 

 which it is covered. We shall not call in ques- 

 tion, that gem salt, either pure^ or mixed with 

 muriatiferous clay may have been deposited 

 by an ancient sea ; but every thing evinces, that 

 it was formed during an order of things, that 

 bears no resemblance to that in which the sea 

 at present, by a slower operation, deposits a few 

 particles of muriat of soda on the sands of our 

 shores. In the same manner as sulphur and 

 coal belong to periods of formation very remote 

 from each other, the gem salt is also found 

 sometimes in transition gypsum sometimes in 

 the Alpine lime-stone ||, sometimes in a muria- 

 tiferous clay lying on a very recent sand-stone ^f, 



* Bnch. Geognost. Beobachtungen, t. i, p. 133. 



f Those of Wieliczka and of Peru. 



% That of Hallein, Ischl, and Zipaquira. 



§ Uebergangsgyps, in the transition slate of White Alley 

 [VAlle Blanche], and between the granwacke and black tran- 

 sition lime-stone near Bex, below the Dent de Chamossaire, 

 according to Mr. von Buch. 



|| At Hall in the Tyrol. 



% At Punta Araya. 



