42 
SCENERY OF SWITZERLAND. 
pieces of money. In many cases, moreover, the size 
increases the resemblance. The sea in which they 
lived was of great extent. The pyramids are built 
of Nummulitic Limestone, and the Nummulites are 
traditionally said to be the petrified remains of the 
lentils on which the children of Israel were fed by 
Pharaoh. They occur also in Asia Minor, Persia, on 
the Himalayas, and in Thibet, where they now rise 
to a height of 5000 metres. 
Flysch. 
The Flysch is a very remarkable and important 
deposit. The name is a local Bernese expression, 
which was adopted by Studer. Flysch is sometimes 
marly, sometimes calcareous, sometimes sandy. It is 
often slaty, and is extensively worked. It attains a 
thickness of nearly 2000 metres, and is evidently 
marine, but except in the slates of Matt, the only 
fossils found in it have been certain impressions 
which have been supposed to be Seaweeds, or per- 
haps Worm burrows. What are the conditions under 
which these have been preserved when all other 
traces of organic remains have perished, is a mys- 
tery. The Flysch mountains present soft outlines, 
and their slopes support a rich carpet of vegetation. 
These are the two principal deposits of the 
