354 
M. De Charpentier on the Pyrenees. 
mountains, and especially in the disposition and distribution of 
the rocks with relation to the external form of the chain ; in 
short, this revolution would produce a multitude of results and 
accidents which are observed in the Pyrenees, and of which we 
shall recapitulate the chief. 
There would result from the destruction of all the parts situ- 
ted between A, B, and C, 1st, That the ridge would be lowered ; 
and, further, that its position would be removed more to the 
south, and that consequently the northern aspect B, C, would 
become longer and more sloping than the southern one BD. 
Sdly, That the granite, including the other primitive rocks, 
would no longer form the ridge of the central chain, to the north 
of which it would occur at a short distance. 
3dly, That the southern bands of the secondary and transi- 
tion formations would obtain a height which would in general 
surpass that of the granite, and that of all the other rocks situa- 
ted to the north of the primitive formation. 
4thly, That these two southern bands would, in general, form 
the ridge of the whole system. 
5thly, That the transition formation would be much more dif- 
fused, or, at least, would appear to a much greater extent, upon 
the north side than upon the southern declivity. 
Gthly, That the secondary formation would occupy all the 
southern declivity, while, on the northern side, it would only 
form the low mountains at the foot of the chain. 
We here see how well the necessary results of the supposition 
which we have admitted, accord with the actual phenomena. 
Several other observations would further lead us to presume, 
that, independently of the great revolution of which we have 
been speaking, the northern part of the Pyrenees must have 
undergone, previously to the formation of the present valleys, a 
new degradation of considerable extent ; such, for example, are 
the generally softer and more rounded forms of the northern, 
compared with the southern, mountains ; the more considerable 
number of basins in the French valleys than in those of the 
Spanish side ; and the immense deposites of transported rocks, of 
which the soil of the plains which extend from the north side of 
the Pyrenees is formed. 
