INTERGLACIAL EPOCHS. 299 



P. montana, 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 trifoliata, bog-bean or marsh-trefoil. 

 Phragmites 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. 

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



existing species. 



Besides these there are various mosses, such as Sphagnum 

 cymhifolium, Hypnum lignitorum, H. priscum, Thuidium anti- 

 quum, etc., and a horsetail reed (Equisetum iimosum ?) 



The osseous remains associated with the lignite represent : 



Elephas antiquus. 

 E. primigenius. 

 Rhinoceros Merckii, Jseg. 1 

 Bos primigenius. 



Cervus dices. 



Cervus elaphus. 



Ursus spelo3us. 



In the same beds occur numerous shells belonging to a few 

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

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

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

 atio, sericea, D. discolor, Hylobius 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. 



