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University of California Publications in Geology , [Vol. 13 



Austria. His figures of the metapodials indicate that, structurally, 

 they show closer affinities with certain living species of the genus 

 Phoca than with any other known fossil genus of the Phocidae. It is 

 to be regretted that no remains of the skull or dentition were dis- 

 covered with the other bones. 



Franz Steindachner 114 had reported much earlier the finding of 

 Phoca remains, presumably Phoca vindobonensis, at Hernals, west 

 of Vienna. Peters 115 had confused similar remains from this same 

 locality with those of Phoca pontica. 



The skulls of many phoeids of the Sarmatian period are unknown. 

 The dentition of most of the forms is in doubt with the exception of 

 a mandibular ramus, containing teeth in situ, from Gozo, Malta. 



UPPER MIOCENE (PONTIAN) 



The skeletal remains described and figured by Bichwald 116 from 

 the ferruginous clay of Mount Mithridates, near Kertch, and from a 

 limestone formation on the promontory of Akbouron, Province of 

 Taurida, Russia, were shown by Nordmann 117 to be distinct, and to 

 these the name of Phoca pontica was restricted. 



A few years later Abich 118 found isolated remains of Phoca pontica 

 during his geological explorations on the peninsulas of Kertch and 

 Taman, Russia. In the year 1880, Calvert and Neumayr, 110 in the 

 course of their investigations on the deposits of the Hellespont, found 

 scattered remains of this same phocid, much worn by erosion, in the 

 clay and marl beds of Erenko'i, near the site of ancient Troja, in the 

 Province of Bigha, Turkey. These remains were found associated 

 with those of Cetotherium priscum. 



Part, at least, of the fossil remains described by Wyman 120 is 

 referable -to a phocid. The form Phoca wymam is here restricted to 

 the fibula and vertebra from the ravine outside of the city limits of 

 Richmond, Virginia. The fragments of the skull found in the Shockoe 



n* Steindaehner, F., Beitrage zur Kenntniss der fossilen Fisch-Fauna Oster- 

 reiche. Sitzungs. math.-naturw. CI. k. k. Akad. d. Wisseusehaften, vol. 37, No. 21, 

 pp. 673-674. 1859. 



us Peters. K. F., loc. fit., vol. 55, pt. 2, pp. 110, 111. 1867. 



iic Eiclnvald, E., op. cit., vol. 3, pp. 391-400; Atlas, pi. 13, figs. 1-37. 



ii" Nordmann, A. v., op. cit., pt. 4, pp. 299, 313, pi. 22, figs. 4-5; pi. 23, figs. ' 

 4-5. 



us Abich, H., Etudes sur les presqu'iles de Kertseh et de Taman. Bull. Soc. 

 Geol. de France, Paris (2), vol. 21, p. 260. 1863-64. 



na Calvert, F., und Neumayr, M., Die jungen Ablagerungen am Hellespont. 

 Denksehr. d. Akad. Wissensch. Wien, math.-naturwiss. Classe, vol. 40, pp. 361, 363, 

 365. 1880. 



120 Wyman, J., Notice of remains of vertebrated animals found at Richmond, 

 Va. Amer. Jour. Sei. (2), vol. 10, pp. 229, 232, figs. 1-3. 1850. 



