(536 MR J. W. GREGORY ON THE MALTESE FOSSIL ECHINOIDEA. 



that only shore deposits are there represented. The absence of the Maltese species 

 (except two widely distributed forms doubtfully recorded) from the Vicentin beds is of 

 more value. The same genera occur there, such as Pericosmus, Metalia, Spatangus, 

 Sarsetta, &c, but they are represented by different species.* 



The Echinoid faunas with which that of the Globigerina Limestone has most in 

 common are those of the Schlier and the Zone a Pecten bonifaciensis in Corsica. To 

 the former it is allied by the presence of several species in both deposits and by a general 

 resemblance of others. . Thus 9 species also occur in the Schlier or its shore deposits — 

 the " Serpentinosa molassa" and " Molassa marnosa" of Northern Italy. The number 

 is not a large one, but remembering the limited distribution of the species of Echinoidea 

 in these and corresponding deposits of the same age, and comparing the general 

 characters of the two faunas, one is led to accept the evidence as of more value 

 than the actual numbers would suggest. Moreover, the Echinoidea of the Globigerina 

 Limestone differ completely from those of the beds above and below the Schlier, so 

 that, if they do not represent this formation, there is nothing in the Vienna basin 

 with which they can be compared. 



The evidence afforded by the fauna of the Zone a Pecten bonifaciensis in Corsica is 

 of considerable value on this question. Seven of the Echinoidea of the Globigerina 

 Limestone occur in Corsica : four of these occur in the Zone a Pecten bonifaciensis, and 

 two of these, with another species, occur in the Zone a Pecten cristatus; one is found in 

 the Zone a Cerites et Pleurotomes, one in the Zone a, dents de Poissons, and one is 

 unplaced. Hence it is clearly to the two first zones that the Globigerina Limestone is 

 allied. Now the mollusca of the former of these two zones agree more closely with those 

 of the Eggenberg Schichten than with any other bed in the Viennese series ; thus the 

 short lists given by Locard! and Fuchs| from these horizons have five species in 

 common. The Zone a Pecten cristatus is similarly the equivalent of the Grunder 

 Schichten, though it contains some species characteristic of a higher level. Now the 

 Eggenberg Schichten are below, and the Grunder Schichten above, the Schlier, so that 

 this last seems to have no definite representative in Corsica. Nevertheless, as far as the 

 evidence of palaeontology goes, the Zone a Pecten cristatus appears to be the equivalent 

 of the Maltese Blue Clay ; but the Maltese beds contain species, such as Pecten denu- 

 datus, characteristic of a lower horizon ; and the intermingling in the Zone a Pecten 

 cristatus of some of the species of the Badner Tegel would also suggest that the Corsican 

 is the later of the two deposits. 



But in considering the Blue Clay apart from the Globigerina Limestone, it should be 

 remarked that this is done only owiDg to the convenience of separating a bed so very 

 different lithologically. There seems hardly any reason palseontologically to separate 



* See List by W. Dames, " Die Echiniden der Vicentiniselien und Veronesischen Tertiarablagerungen," Paliionlogr., 

 \xv., 1877, pp. 93, 94. 

 + Op. cit., p. 347. 

 + Zeit. deut. geol. Ges., xxix., 1877, pp. 661, 662 



