LOWER TERTIARY. 1 67 



dence at its base of terrestrial life, and near 



proximity to land, in the presence of a few 



mammals, some of which are allied to the exist- 



tapirs. With these are found crocodiles of 



type now living, and fresh-water tortoises, 



uent estuaries at the present day. 



The middle of the clay abounds in crabs and 



While the top bed, about 50 feet thick, 



is rich in plants represented by the fruits of a 



1 he upper beds, like the basement 



be< ; - it gnor the sand at the base 



ireous and concretionary, with many marine 



Londoi ay is 500 feet thick in Essex and 



It thins to the west and SOUth-west ; be- 

 ing 400 feet under London, j;co at Southampton, 

 200 at Alum bay and 100 at Studland bay on the 

 To the south-east it is thickened 



with tin wet part. Its fossil shells, 



- which abound in tl nth 



The plants which occur in its uppermost 



3 1 have an \ haracter. The conil 



well represented by Cypr< the Sequoia^ 



Pines, and the \ isburia. The lilies include 



ailed Amer: es of 



nts.the Sarsaparilla tribe. Bananas 



known from the genus .'/.<./. The ginger 

 by Amomutn which yields 

 damoms. Nipa x a screw pine common on the 

 banks of tic ind in the Malay peninsula, 



is by far the most abundant fruit. It is associated 

 with many palms, among which the areca palm, the 

 nutmeg type, the fan palm of the south of Europe 

 'Sloops, and the great palm Sabal are conspicu- 

 ous. The oak, hazel, walnut, liquid amber, laurel, 



