400 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



pebbles agglutinated by a calcareous sandy cement, penetrated by 

 grains of iron from the " terrain siderolitbique," are so closely packed 

 that the prominences of some make indentations on others, the caA^ties 

 corresponding as when a hard substance is pressed into a softer. This 

 phenomenon has often excited attention, both in this locality and else- 

 where, and has recently been receiving the careful and acute attention of 

 Mr. Sorby, from whom we are likely to receive shortly a very interest- 

 ing explanation of its cause and the manner of action. Above these mas- 

 sive conglomerates, beds of "pudding-stones," alternating with sands and 

 clay, occur ; and finally, in the upper part, is homogeneous sandstone, or, 

 properly called, Molasse. The fossils are rare and badly preserved. In 

 the upper sandstone are impressions of m^^tilus, cardiura,and some fragments 

 of oysters, and bones of the sea-cow or lamantin. Beds of freshwater lime- 

 stone, highly charged with silex, occur at Dampierre, Chatenois, and other 

 places, and contain snails, lymneas, paludinas, etc. At Chatenois these 

 heds are more than 8 metres thick. The relationship of these freshwater 

 deposits with the marine beds of the Molasse is very difficult to make out. 



The hills and plateaux of the lower regions are covered over the greater 

 part of their surface by patches of diluvium, which augment in thickness 

 towards the plain of Alsace. To the south, these deposits invade the pla- 

 teaux to the height of 450 metres. The diluvium consists of sands, pebbles, 

 and clays confusedly mixed, without assortment or of visible stratification. 

 The sands and pebbles are of Vosgian or Hercynian origin, and are of 

 crystalline schists, granites, syenites, cjuartzites, porphyries, and ancient 

 sedimentary rocks reduced to fragments varying from a grain to the size 

 of the head. As the Vosges are approacJied these debris become raore 

 numerous and larger. The bones, and particularly the teeth, of Elej^haf^ 

 primigenius and lihhwceros ticliorinus, characterize these deposits. 



There are within the arrondissement numerous caverns and osseous 

 breccias. The best known are those of Vaucluse, Mancenans, and St. 

 Julien ; the latter 200 metres above the bed of the Dessoubre, and the 

 entrance to which is absolutely inaccessible without a ladder. Up to the 

 present time no human remains have been found in any of these caverns. 

 The ordinary mammalia are bear, hysena, cave-lion, several kinds of deer 

 and ox, some rodents and insectivora. Some bones of birds have also been 

 found. In the escarpments of the Chateau de Chatillon, near St. Hippo- 

 lyte, fissures exist partly filled with osseous breccia, amongst the frag- 

 ments in which M. Duvernoy has recognized bones of the cave-bear. 



Erratic blocks are also very frequent, scattered over the heights and 

 ridges of La Haute-Montagne. These are of crystalline schists, protogene, 

 black-limestone, and other rocks coming from the Alps of Monte Eosa. 



The turf-bogs are formed almost entirely of mosses of the genus Sphag- 

 num. The gravel-beds contain often blocks of considerable size, and the 

 I^ones and teeth of beaver, small rodents, and insectivora, vi hich have long 

 since been extinct in the district. The superficial deposits often present 

 remains of vegetables and minerals such as now exist, as also products of 

 human industry, 



M. Contejean's book consists of ninety -two pages, and the brief inkling 

 we have given our readers of the contents of a few is an earnest of the 

 vahiable and interesting matter contained in that still larger proportion 

 wliich space prevents us from noticing at all. 



