Geological Society of London, 229 



Jurassic epoch ; and by degrees a new continental area arose, 

 drained by the great continental rivers of the Purbeck and Wealden 

 series, as shown in various parts of Europe. 



3. This continent was almost entirely swallowed up in the Upper 

 Cretaceous seas. 



4. By subsequent elevation the Eocene lands were formed, and 

 with this continent there came in a new terrestrial fauna. Most 

 of the northern half of Europe since then has been continental, and 

 its terrestrial fauna essentially af modern type. 



If, according to ordinary methods, we were to classify the old 

 terrestrial faunas of North America, Europe, Asia, and probably of 

 Africa, a Palgeozoic epoch would extend from Old Eed Sandstone to 

 Wealden times, and a Neozoic epoch at least from the Eocene period 

 to the present day. The Upper Cretaceous strata would at present 

 remain unclassified. The marine epoch would also temporarily be 

 diAdded into two, Paleozoic from Laurentian to the close of the 

 Permian times, and all besides down to the present day, would form 

 a Neozoic series. The generic gaps between the two begin already 

 to be filled up. The terrestrial and the marine series at their edges 

 at present overlap each other. 



The great life-gaps between the two terrestrial periods may some 

 day be filled up by the discovery of the traces of old contineiits 

 containing intermediate developments of structure as yet undis- 

 covered.. 



Discussion.— Prof. Huxley was pleased to find that the author, on physical 

 grounds^ extended some views which he himself had, from other reasons, brought 

 before the Society. He mentioned that there had lately been found in the fresh- 

 waters of Australia a remarkable fish, which had been described, he thought 

 erroneously, as a Ceratodus, but which, in many essential characters, was a Bipterus, 

 though allied in some respects to Phaneropleuron. In other respects it was connected 

 with Lepidosiren. It was about to be fully described by Dr. Giinther. The dentition 

 of this fish is curiously similar to that of the Devonian Bipterus; and its existence, 

 he thought, corroborated Prof. Eamsay's argument. He agreed with the author 

 as tO' his views respecting the terrestrial fauna of ancient times, and was quite 

 prepared for the discovery of mammalian remains in earlier formations than those in 

 which they are at present known. He did not so cordially agree with his views as to 

 the marine fauna. He would carry back the forms from which those of the present 

 day are immediately derived to Cretaceous rather than Eocene times. Between the 

 Cretaceous and the Liassic strata there was what appeared to be a middle group, 

 succeeding the Paleeozoic. 



Mr, Etheridge commented on the dwarfed condition of our Permian fauna, which 

 corresponds in the main with that of the continent, though with fewer genera and 

 species. 



Prof. Eupert Jones protested against some of the reasons adduced for regarding 

 some of the areas cited as having been inland lakes, though no doubt such lakes must 

 have existed. He thought that mere colour could not be taken as a criterion. If it 

 were, he inquired why the bottoms of the present lakes were not red ? Many of the 

 red rocks were, moreover, full of marine fossils. He contended for the true trilobite 

 character of Falceopyge Mamsayi, and mentioned its occurrence and that of Lingula 

 ferruginea in red Cambrian rocks as proving the marine character of the beds. The 

 Magnesian Limestone he also insisted upon as a purely marine and open sea deposit. 



Prof. Morris thought the subject required further consideration before the whole of 

 Prof. Eamsay's views were accepted. The Cambrian beds, for instance, containing 

 great beds of conglomerate, seemed such as could only be due to marine action, and 

 would derive their red colour from the decomposition of the old hornblendic gneiss 

 from which they were derived. "With regard to the Eed Sandstone, he would 



