Bibliographical Notices. 177 



as to Coral Islands, Coralline Limestone, and minute marine orga- 

 nisms of these old strata, with Sea-urchins, Ammonites, and other 

 Shells, Turtles &c., and Seaweed, The Land-plants, Insects, and 

 unique old Bird of the Jurassic period also occupy attention. 



Together with a general table of the Swiss " Jura " (pp. 152-4), 

 a more detailed account of the successive stages is given ; also a 

 rough chart of the Jurassic Sea in the European area, and some 

 notes on the economic products of the Jurassic rocks. 



In sketching the features and history- of Central Europe during 

 the Cretaceous Period, in Chapter V., M. Heer shows, with the 

 help of another little map *, the changes which had taken place 

 in the shape of the lands, from the alteration of levels and coasts. 

 With these changes, in the course of ages, the fauna and flora also 

 were greatly modified by variation of species or " transmutation of 

 organic forms." The Ci'etaceous Cephalopods, carefully tabulated at 

 pp. 183 & 18-5, are used as terms of comparison in showing the rela- 

 tionship of different Cretaceous areas in Europe. Other fossils are 

 noticed, especially Seaweeds, Diatoms, Foraminifers, Echinoderms, 

 Mollusks, &c. The distribution of Land Plants in the Cretaceous 

 period is described with M. Heer's accurate knowledge of multitu- 

 dinous specimens found in Europe, Greenland, North America, and 

 Tropical Africa (Chargeh, west of Thebes). 



The Eocene formation in Switzerland (Chapter VI.) comprises : — 

 the curious Glaris slate, yielding many fossil Fishes, some Turtles and 

 Birds ; the Flysch, with its characteristic Fucoid remains and 

 imbedded blocks of granite ; the Nummulitic Limestone, containing 

 an extensive marine fauna ; and the local pea-iron-ore (Bohnerz), 

 with mammalian bones. 



The Miocene or Molasse Period of Switzerland (Chapter YIL) 

 flourished when the land in what is now Central Europe had greatly 

 increased, by the gradual uprising of the Alpine and other districts. 

 Lakes had been formed, the recipients of much vegetable matter ; 

 volcanoes burst out here and there ; and great accumulations of 

 gravel were formed by mountain-torrents, and of shingle by the sea, 

 during oscillations of land. The Miocene Flora, preserved in the 

 lignites and plant-beds of the period, whether at home or in Eng- 

 land, Greenland, Spitzbergen, or North America, has been a fa- 

 vourite study with M. Heer ; so also has the Insect-fauna of the 

 same period, at Qjiningen especially, where well-preserved remains 

 of Mammals, Birds, Eeptiles, Amphibia, Fishes, and other creatures 

 also abound. These are vividly described in Chapters VIII.-XT., 

 and comparisons are made with those of other countries. Descrip- 

 tions of special localities rich in these fossils, and philosophic 

 considerations on the probable climate of the Miocene Period, are 

 also given. The principal results of this investigation are stated 



* Like the Jurassic map above mentioned, and others that follow, this 

 is an improved portion of one of the late M. Elie de Beaumont's palfeo- 

 geographical European sketch maps. 



