18 BULLETIN: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



But since you called my attention to the probable Tertiary age of at least a 

 part of these deposits, I have examined the matter more closely. I find that 

 your contention that part of these beds is Tertiary (Eocene) is well supported, 

 and am fully prepared to accept this view. 



Among the fossils, there are not many that show affinities to our Patagonian 

 (Miocene) forms, which is probably due to their older age (Eocene). But 

 nevertheless there are a few relations. The following are the most striking. 



Ostrea disfmis White, from Para. This is a characteristic Tertiary type, 

 allied to our 0. ingens Zitt. 



Grypham hrachyoptera White, from Pernambuco, resembles G. tarda Hutt, 

 from the Patagonian beds. 



Cardita wilmoUi Rathbun,from Pernambuco and Para, resembles C. inaequalis 

 Phil. 



Posinia 6msi7ic«sis White, from Sergipe, Para, and Pernambuco, is very near 

 D. magellanica Ortm. from the Magellanian beds of Punta Arenas. 



Trochus retectus White, from Para, resembles Calliostoma garretti Ortm. 



Fusus pernamhucensis White, from Pernambuco, comes near F. subspiralis 

 Ortm. from the Magellanian beds of Punta Arenas. 



Calyptraea fausta White, from Para, comes near Crucihulum dubiuni Ortm. 



It is very significant that we have two species {Posinia hrasiliensis and 

 Fusus pernamhucensis which resemble most closely species described by myself 

 from the Magellanian beds, which I take for Oligocene. This would furnish 

 additional evidence for the old Tertiary age of the Brazilian beds, and, on the 

 other hand, for the similar age of the Magellanian beds. 



Yours very truly, A. E. Ortmann. 



In view of his acquaintance with the Eocene of North America I have 

 asked the opinion of Prof. Gilbert D. Harris of Cornell University re- 

 garding the fossils from Maria Farinha and Pirabas, Para. Dr. Harris 

 writes me as follows : " I can assure you most emphatically that neither 

 in that work (Dr. White's report on the Brazilian Mesozoic fossils) nor 

 in our specimens (at Cornell University) nor in those I have seen in the 

 United States National Museum from Maria Farinha, can I find a trace 

 of any fauna other than the Midway Eocene." 



The relation of color to age. — It has already been stated that Hartt 

 regards the party-colored beds of the coast of Brazil as Tertiary, and 

 that this long seemed to be a fairly satisfactory method of disposing of 

 them.^ The fact that these colored beds always seemed to be horizontal, 

 while the Cretaceous strata were usually more or less bent, appeared to 

 give support to this classification. 



The horizontal bedding of these rocks is sometimes more apparent 



1 Geology and physical geography of Brazil, p. 557. Ann. Rep. Amer. Geog. 

 Soc, UL, p. 231-252. 



