On the Age of Mountains. 



531 



mountain chain was thus elevated after the chalk was 

 formed. 



In the Western Alps to which Mont Blanc, the highest 

 mountain in Europe, belongs, all the tertiary formations are 

 oblique, but the older upwashed sands are horizontal. These 

 great and high mountain masses have thus been raised at a 

 very late period. 



The central masses of the Alps have been uplifted at a 

 still later period; because even the older upwashed land is 

 found in a slanting position, and only the newer upwashed 

 sand is in its original horizontal position. 



We come thus to the remarkable result, that at least in 

 Europe, the highest mountains are those which have been 

 the latest elevated.* 



Observations on the Genus Spathium. By M. P. Edge- 

 worth, EsQ.f 



Happening to meet with two species of Aponogeton 

 (Roxb.) in this neighbourhood, I compared them with the 

 generic character of Spathium in Endlicher's Genera Plan- 

 tarum, to which they are referable. I observed that he des- 

 cribes the embryo as unknown, and therefore, especially 

 directed my attention to that point. By Endlicher, the 



* Note hy Prof. Schow. — Beaumont is thereby of opinion, that those 

 mountain chains, which are elevated at one time, are also reciprocally 

 parallel ; but this pretension can hardly be held to be proved, and 

 there are various observations which seem to be opposed to it. This 

 part of Beaumont's theory is therefore passed over. 



f Here Mr. Edgeworth's paper is corrected and reprinted from the 

 Journal of the Asiatic Society, No. 38, 1842, it being therein quite unin- 

 telligible. 



As there is reason to believe that an offer made by a very competent 

 person to correct the paper for reprint in the same Journal, did not 

 meet with approbation from the Secretary of the Asiatic Society, an 



