Ch. XIV.] 



LOWER MIOCENE BEDS OF CROATIA. 



245 



very characteristic, and is supposed by D'Archiac to take the same 

 place among the Rhizopods of the Upper Miocene era which the 

 Nunimulities occnpy in the Eocene period. 



The flora of the Vienna basin exhibits some species which have a 

 general range through the whole Miocene period, such as Cinnamomum 

 polymorphism (fig. 188), and another species, C. Scheuchzeri also 

 Planera Richardi, Mich., (fig. 205), Liquidambar europceum (fig. 160), 

 Juglans bilinica, Cassia ambigua, and C. lignitum. With these are 

 also found one or two Older Miocene forms, together with some of 

 the Upper Miocene plants of (Eningen in Switzerland, such as Plat- 

 anus aceroides (fig. 187), Myrica vindobonensis, Heer, &c. 



Lower Miocene beds of Croatia, — The Brown Coal of Kadaboj, near 

 Angram in Croatia, not far from the borders of Styria, is covered, 

 says Yon Buch, by beds containing the marine shells of the Vienna 

 basin, or, in other words, by Upper Miocene or Falunian strata. 

 They appear to correspond in age to the Mayence basin, or to the 

 Rupelian strata of Belgium. They have yielded more than 200 spe- 

 cies of fossil plants, of which Professor Unger has given an admirable 

 description. They are well preserved in a hard marlstone, and con- 

 tain several palms ; among them the Sabal, fig. 197, p. 259, and an- 

 other genus allied to the date-palm Phoenicites spectabilis. Among the 

 fossils of the same marls we also find a fern, which will be mentioned 

 in the next chapter (fig. 195, p. 258), called Woodwardia Rossneriana. 

 The only abundant plant among the Eadaboj fossils which is charac- 

 teristic of the Upper Miocene period is the Populus mutabilis, whereas 

 no less than fifty of the Radaboj species are common to the more 

 ancient flora of the Lower Molasse of Switzerland. 



The insect fauna is very rich, and, like the plants, indicates a more 

 tropical climate than do the fossils of (Eningen presently to be men- 

 tioned. There are ten species of Termites, or white ants, some of 

 gigantic size, and large dragon-flies with speckled wings, like those of 

 the Southern States in North America ; there are also grasshoppers 

 of considerable size, and even the Lepidoptera are not unrepresented. 



Fig. 179. 



Vanessa Pluto ; nat. size. Lower Miocene, Eadaboj, Croatia. 



