M. Charpentier has given a section of
what he calls the transition strata associated
with the gypsum. Seethe Cut. The lower
bed, A. A., represents the sandstone, black
limestone, and argillaceous limestone, under
the lower bed of gypsum, C. C. An
upper bed of argillaceous limestone, B. B.
covers this gypsum. The upper bed o f gypsum
C. C. is also capped by argillaceous limestone,
G. G. ; the whole resting on a basis of
primitive rock. These beds of gypsum may
be traced from Bex, to the Lake of Thoun,
and probably much farther.
The two beds of limestone and argillaceous
limestone associated with the gypsum, are of
immense thickness ; the fossils they contain,
(particularly the ammonites and belemnites,)
as well as their connection with saliferous
gypsum, indicate that these strata
are similar to our upper calcareous formations
; and though Mons. C. denominates
some of the beds in this limestone, grey-
wacke and argillaceous schist, it ought to
be impressed upon the minds of geologists,
and can scarcely be too often repeated,
that beds which correspond to sandstone
and shale in England, often assume the
character of greywacke-slate and clay-slate
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