90 MIOCENE FAUNA. 



(sea-cows), which at present inhabit the shores of America (from 

 Florida to Brazil), and are found near the Senegal in Africa, 

 particularly frequenting the mouths of rivers. The bones and 

 teeth of the Swiss species are not uncommon ; and a nearly com- 

 plete skeleton (except the head) was found near Radersdorf. 



2. Marine animals of the second and third Miocene stages. 



We have already seen (vol. i. p. 300) that during the Aquita- 

 nian period a lagoon with brackish water stretched along the 

 Alps. It is true that only about ten species of animals have 

 been found in its deposits ; but these suffice to prove the fact. 

 Two Cyrence (C. convexa, Br., and C. thunensis, Mayer), two 

 Cardia (C. Heerii, Mayer, and C. arcula, May.), a Dreissenia 

 (D. Basteroti, Des.), a Lutraria (L. sanna, Bast.), a Nucula, 

 and two species of Melanopsis occur near E/alligen. Five of 

 these species belong to the Aquitanian stage in France, and 

 their existing relatives for the most part inhabit brackish 

 water. 



A band of marine Miocene belonging to the third stage ap- 

 pears on the northern frontier of Switzerland, and may be traced 

 from the Canton of Basle (from Waldenburg, Tenniken, Diegten, 

 Kanerkinden, and Riineburg) through the Frickthal and Klett- 

 gau to the Randen, where it is met with near Wiechs, Epfenho- 

 fen, Thengen, and Lindenbiihl, and, according to J. Schill, up to 

 2700 feet above the sea near the Klausenhof ; hence it spreads 

 into southern Swabia as far as Donaueschingen and Nordlingen. 

 According to M. Carl Mayer, the fauna of this marine deposit 

 differs equally from those of the Aquitanian and Helvetian 

 stages; but it exhibits a perfect agreement with that of the 

 Faluns of Touraine in Central France. It is probable, therefore, 

 that, at the time of the formation of the Swiss grey Miocene, an 

 arm of the sea extended from Central France into Switzerland, 

 stretching along the northern border of the latter country. The 

 marine deposit of the third stage is characterized chiefly by the 

 univalve shells, among which the Turritella (T. turns, Bast.), 

 the Cerithia (C. lignitarum, papaveraceum, and mediterraneum) , 

 the Murices (M. turonensis, plicatus, and crinaceus), the Colum- 

 bella (C. curt a and mioccena), and Neritae (N. Plutonis] may be 



