AMONG THE VOLCANOS AND GLACIERS OF AUVERGNE. 
3 
beds, and these would seem to be of miocene age, as they have 
yielded bones of miocene animals. As far as I understand, the 
Aigueperse beds are overlain by the indusial limestone, which 
is characteristic of Grergovia and other localities near Clermont 
Ferrand, and which is so termed from the abundance of the 
•cases (or indusice) of ancient caddis worms which enter into 
its structure. These cases were once the abode of the larvae 
of a kind of fly (Phryganece) which frequented the waters of 
the miocene lake in shoals. Around the tubes of the caddis 
worms are attached numerous minute freshwater shells (Palu- 
dincB , &c.) which the caddis worms when living agglutinated to 
their tubes. 
Clermont Ferrand is an excellent place for head-quarters, 
from which to visit many localities of high interest in Auvergne, 
especially as it now is possible to go to some of the best stations 
by rail at a small expense. The town itself is full of interest 
in respect to archaeological lore. Here Peter the Hermit 
preached religious war against the Saracens, and here Pope 
Urban elevated the cross before the multitude, maddened by 
that religious enthusiasm which sent thousands to die in a dis- 
tant land, “ far o’er the waters of the dark-blue seas.” The 
<£ Dieu le Volt” of that vast host must have re-echoed from hill 
to hill ; while hundreds thronged within the walls of Notre 
Dame du Port, which still stand as massive as in the days of 
the Hermit. Here the Pope Alexander III. thundered forth 
his blasting excommunications against the Emperor Barbarossa. 
Again, Clermont Ferrand was the birthplace of the illustrious 
Pascal, who will be remembered long after Pope and Emperor 
shall be forgotten. Pascal was the first philosopher who esta- 
blished the law of atmospheric pressure at different elevations, 
but his experiments were interfered with by the Jesuits at the 
College of Clermont, who threatened him with charges of 
heresy ; as he says in his “ Pensees,” “ Les Jesuites concluent 
toujours que leurs adversaires sont heretiques.” In consequence 
of this persecution, Pascal had to employ his brother-in-law, 
M. Perier, who lived at Clermont, while he sought refuge in 
Paris, to carry out his experiments and take a barometer to the 
summit of the Puy de Dome. It was thus that in September 
1648 the effects of atmospheric pressure were established beyond 
all doubt ; while this present summer of 1876 witnessed a con- 
course of representatives of all the nations of Europe, assembled 
round the noble observatory erected to Pascal’s memory on the 
Puy de Dome, a grand tribute to one of Nature’s pupils. 
The Cathedral of Clermont is built of the dark lavas of 
Volvic. Nothing can exceed the beauty of the decorated work 
•executed in this lava, the grey colour of which is very pleasing 
to the eye. The choir is very striking from its height, as it 
