THE 



PRIMAEVAL WORLD 



OF 



SWITZERLAND. 



L I i> 



UNI VKKSITY ( 

 CHAPTER ix. CAM F( > i ; X I A 



MIOCENE FAUNA OF SWITZERLAND. 



I. ANIMALS BELONGING TO LAND AND FRESH WATER. 



FOSSIL remains of animals are found in most of the Swiss Mio- 

 cene localities which have furnished plants of that- period. 

 Hence the Swiss Miocene fauna occupied the same area with 

 the Miocene flora of Switzerland. No remains of either Anne- 

 lida or Infusoria have been found ; but vertebrated animals and 

 insects have supplied so many species that the leading character- 

 istics of animal life are well represented. 



The principal animals of the Swiss Miocene fauna may be 

 thus described : 



1. MOLLUSCA. 



All the univalve Mollusca which inhabited the Swiss Miocene 

 forests, and the Bivalves which peopled the brooks and lakes, 

 belong to living genera, the species, however, are almost en- 

 tirely extinct ; and their nearest allies are no longer inhabitants 

 of Switzerland. Snails (Helix) formed, as at present, the most 

 numerous genus ; but none of the species attained the size of the 

 common Swiss vineyard-snail (Helix pomatia, Linn.). One of 

 the most abundant species of the Swiss Lower Miocene (Helix 

 Ramondi, Br., fig. 201) is nearly related to a species (H. Bow- 



VOL. II. B 



