164 PROP. J. W. JUDD ON THE OLIGOCENE 



the South of Prance, and in strata of the same age in Belgium and 

 I^orthern Germany. The forms which occur in the beds below the 

 Brockenhurst series are many of them common to the Tongrian of 

 Belgium and the Lower Oligocene of Northern Germany. 



A very considerable number of vertebrate forms has been ob- 

 tained from this great estuarine series of beds. Teeth of Squalus and 

 Myliohates^ and scales and teeth of Lepidosteus, abound in the lower 

 group. Of reptiles we have the remarkable Crocodilus Hastingsice, 

 Owen (of which the fine Alligator hantoniensis of S. Wood is believed 

 by both Owen and Huxley to be only a variety). With this Croco- 

 dilian we have also in the lower series of estuarine strata a number 

 of remarkable Chelonians, including Trionyoc Henrici, Owen, T. Bar- 

 harce, Owen, T. marginatus, Owen, T. rivosus, Owen, T. planus^ Owen, 

 T. circumsulcatus, Owen, with Emys crassa, Owen, and E. liordivel- 

 lensis, Seeley. There have also been found at the same horizon some 

 Ophidian and Lacertilian remains that as yet remain undescribed. 

 In the Tipper series of estuarine beds lying above the Brockenhurst 

 series, the only recorded reptilian form is the Trionyoc incrassatus^ 

 Owen. 



The study of the Mammalian fauna of these beds yields some facts 

 of considerable interests The beds above the Brockenhurst series 

 have yielded four species of Palceotherium, two of Anoplotherium, 

 one of Chcero^otamus, two of Hyopotamus, and one of Dichohune. 

 The beds below the Brockenhurst series have yielded three species 

 of Palceotherium, all distinct from those of the beds above, with 

 representatives of the genera Palaplotherium, Dicliohune, Micro- 

 cJioerus, Spcdacodon^ Hycenodon, and Bichodon, There also exist 

 in the British and Woodwardian Museums, and in some private 

 collections, undescribed vertebrate remains, which, when carefully 

 studied, will probably throw much new light on the terrestrial life 

 of this period. 



In 1862 Prof. Eeer described the following ten species of plants 

 as derived from the black band of Hamstead in the upper of the 

 two estuarine series. These are Sequoia Couttsice, Heer, Cyjoerites 

 Forbesi, Heer, Sahal major, IJng., Andromeda reticidata, Ett., Nym- 

 phcea Boris, Heer, Neliimhium Buchii, Ett., Carpolites Wehsteri, 

 Brong., Carpolites globulus, Heer, Chara EscJieri, A. Brong., and 

 Char a tuberculata, Lyell, var. Of these no less than six, as pointed 

 out by Prof. Heer, are well-known species, found in Switzerland and 

 elsewhere in the Aquitanian and Tongrian divisions of the Tertiary 

 series, or in strata which are now classed with the Oligocene. 



In the lower series of estuarine strata, or Headon group, Gyro- 

 gonites are the only common plant-remains. One of the forms, 

 Chara Wrightii, Porbes, is peculiar to the Headon group ; and 

 another, C. tuberculata, Lyell, is common to both the Bembridge and 

 Headon groups. Mr. J. Starkie Gardner records a feather-palm 

 from these beds*. 



* Monograph of the British Eocene Flora, Pal. Soc. 1879, p. 20. 



