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SCENERY OF SWITZERLAND. 
CHAPTER XII. 
THE CENTRAL PLAIN. 
To the S.E. of the Jura is the great Central Plain 
of Switzerland, which is a plain however only in con- 
trast with the mountains by which it is surrounded, 
and in other countries would be regarded as an 
elevated hilly region. Thanks to its geological and 
climatic conditions, it is one of the richest and most 
genial parts of Europe. 
It extends in a S.W. and N.E. direction from the 
Lake of Geneva across that of Constance to Wtirtem- 
berg, and has an average width of about 30 miles. 
It is mainly formed of Miocene strata known as 
Mollasse; usually divided into — (i) Lower Freshwater 
Mollasse; (2) Marine Mollasse; and (3) Upper Fresh- 
water Mollasse; which, however, according to Kauf- 
mann, were in some cases being deposited simultane- 
ously; no doubt there were several alternations of 
sea, marsh, and freshwater. 
The Mollasse attains an unknown thickness. In 
parts of Vaud the upper beds alone reach over 1000 
metres. 
