ELEPHAS MERIDIONALIS.— FAUNA AND FLORA. 183 



late discoveries at Cromer, on the Norfolk coast, but from the proofs adduced previously 

 by Falconer, and the later additions made by Boyd Dawkins. 



The geographical distribution of U. meridionalis, as far as has been accurately deter- 

 mined, extends from South-Eastern England to France, where it has been found in the 

 northern, middle, and lower Departments. Its existence in Spain has not been con- 

 firmed ; and, besides the discoveries in Northern Italy and the determination of remains 

 from South-Eastern Europe by Lartet, I am not aware of any well-authenticated discoveries 

 in other European countries. 



The circumstances under which the Proboscidean and other Mammalian remains are 

 met with on the shores of East Anglia may be stated as follows : — Occasionally, after heavy 

 gales, or " scours " as they are locally designated, portions of the overlying cliffs and the 

 littoral zone are laid bare and expose the remains in situ. At other times, usually at low 

 tides, a search over exposed surfaces between high- and low-water mark is rewarded 

 by discoveries ; but by far the greater number of finds are picked up casually along the 

 shore-line after the object has been rolled about and often considerably damaged. 



The vast quantities of Proboscidean and other Mammalian remains reclaimed from the 

 coast deposits of Norfolk and Suffolk would, if brought together, furnish a very remarkable 

 collection. Unfortunately, several valuable relics have been dispersed and are not available 

 for study ; nevertheless, thanks to the assiduous labours of persons interested in collecting 

 and preserving these specimens for scientific purposes, the Norwich, British, Oxford, 

 Cambridge, and Jermyn-Street Museums, together with several private collections, afford 

 ample evidences of the fauna of the Forest-bed period. 



Among numerous benefactors, whose names it seems to me necessary should be placed 

 on record in a Monograph like this, foremost in the ranks stands the honoured name of 

 John Gunn, late of Irstead. This veteran geologist has enriched the admirable Natural 

 History Museum of his native town with the products of a long lifetime devoted to the 

 study of the later Tertiary deposits of Norfolk; and, with an enthusiasm and scarcely 

 diminished vigour of earlier days, he is still labouring in the field where the father of Norfolk 

 geology, Samuel Woodward, made for himself a well-known reputation. Among their 

 fellow-workers may be mentioned Miss Anna Gurney, the "Rev. J. Layton, the Rev. J. 

 King, the Rev. J. Green, and Robert Fitch, Esq. 



III. FAUNA AND FLORA OF THE FOKEST-BED. 



The Fauna and Flora of the Forest-bed series are highly suggestive of the character 

 and extent of the submerged area of which they are the exponents. Although the animal 

 remains are in general fragmentary, there is no difficulty in perceiving how very varied 

 were the forms of Mammals which inhabited the land during the deposition of the 

 various strata composing what is termed the Forest Bed. Unfortunately, the varying 



