362 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



they represent southward migrations in both oceans at a 

 time preceding the Ice age. From the occurrence of 

 many of the PHocene forms of California in the British 

 Crag (PHocene), it would seem that their distribution is 

 due primarily to pre-glacial migrations. 



A comparison of these results with those obtained by 

 a study of fossil vertebrates of California would seem to 

 show a disagreement. Thus Dr. Cooper concludes from 

 the finding of a large species of lion, a llama, a third 

 larger than the living camels, also one smaller, a Megal- 

 omeryx, another of the camel family, a Protohippus, etc., 

 which have been thought to have been of Pliocene age, 

 that the Pliocene of California had a tropical climate.* 

 Were the Pliocene age of the deposits from which these 

 fossils were obtained determined beyond question, the 

 disagreement would be vital, and the beds described in 

 this paper as Pliocene would probably have to be con- 

 sidered post-Pliocene. 



In the first place, if the deduction upon the age of the 

 lower beds of the Merced series made in this paper is 

 correct, it seems probable that many other beds in the 

 State which have been considered Pliocene may prove to 

 be Miocene. Some of the beds from which the verte- 

 brate fossils have been described may be among the num- 

 ber. 



Again, the few vertebrate remains found by the writer 

 were none of them in the beds described here as Plio- 

 cene. Elephant remains were found at two places in the 

 Quaternary. Sharks teeth were found at two places in the 

 beds assigned to the top of the Miocene ; those previously 

 reported have been called Pliocene. Whale bones from 

 several localities were found in the Miocene, these also 

 have previously been quoted only from the Pliocene. 



"* Proc. Cal. Acad, of Sci., vol. v, p. 390. 



