IS^e.] FORBES ON FOSSILS FROM SAMOS AND EUBCEA. 73 



round the borders of the Mediterranean, None has, I believe, been 

 identified as belonging undoubtedly to this age and of marine 

 origin. Miocene and pliocene formations are the marine tertiary de- 

 posits everywhere encircling this basin; thus establishing the fact of 

 its connection with the ocean during these geological periods, and 

 tending greatly to confirm the supposition of its having been a fresh- 

 water lake during the eocene period, by the absence of marine de- 

 posits of that time. They also indicate that the conversion of the 

 lake to an arm of the great ocean took place at the close of the eocene 

 period, when great eruptions evidently disturbed the area, and most 

 probably opened a channel for its connection. 



The arguments bearing on this supposition which my limited 

 means of research have enabled me to collect, will I hope be deemed 

 of sufficient importance to call the attention of geologists to the sub- 

 ject, and induce further inquiry, as I think there are several localities 

 round the borders of the Mediterranean where formations exist, which 

 have been classed as secondary from mineralogical resemblance alone, 

 but which in truth are lacustrine of the eocene age. The close re- 

 semblance of some of these lacustrine limestones with the scaglia is 

 at any rate very remarkable. 



Mr. Strickland notices the resemblance between the Smyrna fresh- 

 water limestones and the mountain limestone of the Ionian Islands ; 

 and Mr. Hamilton likewise has stated that he was at first deceived 

 in a similar manner with the Italian freshwater limestone; and for 

 several years I had mistaken the limestone of Samos for secondary, 

 from its resemblance to the nummulite limestone of Asia Minor. 



ibfpnoo io H' 



Appendix. — On the Fossils collected hy Lieut. Spratt, R.N., 

 in the Islands of Samos and Eubcea. By Prof. E. Forbes, 

 F.R.S. &c. 



The collections accompanying Lieut. Spratt's papers include a num- 

 ber of very interesting fossils. 



From Samos he has sent several fossil shells and plants, collected 

 in the lacustrine tertiaries of that island. The plants appear to be 

 the remains of large reeds, and impressions of leaves resembling those 

 of the Oleander. The shells consist of a Paludina, closely resem- 

 bling one in the Eubcea collection, but in bad condition ; a Helix, 

 allied to some existing Levant forms, but undeterminable, since the 

 preservation of colour only could enable us to be certain of the spe- 

 cies in the section of the genus to which it belongs ; and a large 

 cylindrical shell, mentioned in the paper as a Melania, but most 

 probably of terrestrial origin ; I regard it as probably a large extinct 

 species of Bulimus, allied to B. decollatus. As Lieut. Spratt men- 

 tions the occurrence of species of Lymneus and Planorbis in these 

 beds, identical with those found on the tertiaries of the Gulf of 

 Smyrna, the Samos formation may be regarded as most probably 

 eocene. 



