186 ELEVATION OF THE MASSICYTUS. 



tion, and to the conversion of the cretaceous 

 sea into land, which we must suppose to have 

 been the case before its depression to form the 

 bed of the miocene sea, in which the marine 

 tertiaries of Lycia were deposited. At this time 

 we have certain evidence that the higher peaks 

 and ranges of the Lycian Taurus and Massicytus 

 were above water. The peculiar forms of the 

 flat basin-like yailah plains are probably derived 

 from this epoch. The elevation of the miocene 

 marks the epoch of greatest disturbance. The 

 position of the marine tertiary beds, and the 

 forms of the scaglia mountains indicate the in- 

 tensity of the disturbing forces. From two 

 to six thousand feet of the Massicytus was raised 

 above water, and the forms of the mountain 

 summits must have undergone material change. 

 The next great event was the formation of the 

 great lakes, in which the fresh-water tertiaries 

 were deposited. The violent nature of the 

 change which preceded their formation is plainly 

 indicated by the manner in which they are 

 found resting directly on the scaglia, in valleys 

 whence the sea-becls which preceded them 

 were entirely swept away, except a few ter- 

 races high among the new- formed mountains. 



