Roderick Impey Murchison

“ In central Germany, where the Muschelkalk forms the central band of the group, with its subjacent Bunter Sandstein and the overlying Keuper, the name was indeed well used by Alberti, who first proposed it; but when the same group is followed to the west, the lower of the three divisions, even in Germany, is seen to expand into two bands, which are laid down as separate deposits on the geological maps of Ludwig and other authors. In these countries, therefore, the Trias of Alberti's tract has already become a Tetras. ”

“ On my own part, I long ago expressed my dislike to the term Trias; for, in common with many practical geologists who had surveyed various countries where that group abounds, I knew that in numerous tracts the deposits of this age are frequently not divisible into three parts. ”

“ Geinitz, of Dresden, recently issued the first volume of his valuable palæontological work, entitled 'Dyas, oder die Zechstein-Formation und das Rothliegende.' [3] In borrowing the terra "Dyas" from Marcou, Dr. Geinitz shows, however, that that author had been entirely mistaken in grouping the deposits so named with the Trias or the Lower Secondary rocks, and necessarily agrees with me in considering the group to be of Palæozoic age.
As there is no one of my younger contemporaries for whom I have a greater respect as a man of science, or more regard as a friend, than Dr. ”