THE GEOLOGY OF SWITZERLAND. 
33 
presenting fossiliferous deposits at Brevent, Hunmgen, 
etc. It then passes along the lower Valais, and, if 
the Verrucano belongs to this period, occupies a con- 
siderable part of the district between the Upper 
Rhine and the Walensee. It is clear, however, and 
this indeed applies to the fossiliferous strata gener- 
ally, that these beds are only remnants of much 
more extensive deposits. In places they have been 
removed, and in others they have been deeply buried 
under more recent strata. At the same time much 
of Switzerland is supposed to have been land at this 
period, probably forming a large island, or islands, 
while the presence in the Valais and the Mont Blanc 
district of Pudding-stone containing pebbles and 
boulders shows that there must have been some 
high land, and rapid streams. The Coal was pro- 
bably formed in deposits somewhat similar to our 
peat-mosses. 
The vegetation consisted principally of Ferns, 
Mosses, Clubmosses (Lycopodiacse), and Equisetums. 
There appear to have been some flowering plants, 
but the blossoms were probably inconspicuous. In- 
sects were represented by forms resembling the Cock- 
roach, but there were no Bees, Flies, Butterflies, or 
Moths. Batrachia make their appearance, but there 
were no Mammals or Birds. The Verrucano, or, as 
Scenery of Switzerland. I. 3 
