INTERGLACIAL EPOCHS. 299 



P. monfana, mountain pine (agrees most nearly with P. montana, 



var. humilis). 

 P. larix, larch, probably. 

 Taxus baccata, yew. 

 Betula alba, birch (very common, most probably the same as 



the common Swiss birch). 

 Quercus robur, oak (uncertain whether Q. pedunculata or Q. sessili- 



flora). 

 Acer pseudo-platanus, sycamore or plane. 

 Corylus avellana, hazel. 



Menyanthes trifoliate/,, bog-bean or marsh-trefoil. 

 Phre/gmites communis, common reed. 

 Scirpus lacustris, bulrush. 

 Rubus idceus, raspberry. 



Polygonum hydropiper, water-pepper ; doubtful. 

 Trapa natans, water-chestnut ; doubtful. 

 Galium palustre, marsh bedstraw. 

 Vaccinium vitis-idcea, cranberry ; doubtful. 



Holopleura victoria, a water-lily, not referable to any known 

 existing species. 



Besides these there are various mosses, such as Sphagnum 

 cymhifoliitm, Sypnum lignitorum, H. priscum, Thuidmm anti- 

 quum, etc., and a horsetail reed (Equisetum limosum f) 



The osseous remains associated with the lignite represent : 



Elephas antiquus. 

 E. primigenius. 

 Rhinoceros Merckii, Jseg. 1 

 Bos primigenius. 

 Cervus alces. 

 Gervus elaphus. 

 Ursus speleeus. 



In the same beds occur numerous shells belonging to a few- 

 species : such as Pisidium amnicum, Mull., Valvata dbtusa, Drap., 

 and a variety of V. depressa, Pfr., together with fragments of 

 Anodontm. Insect-remains are also abundant, and include Don- 

 acia sericea, D. discolor, Hyldbius rugosus, and several predacious 

 ground-beetles. 



The intercalated position of the Swiss lignites leaves no room 

 for doubt that the beds are of interglacial origin. They show 



1 See ante, footnote, p. 262. 



