25S 
Notices of Books. 
[April, 
we are hence warranted in concluding that they were more nu- 
merous in the Swiss Miocene fauna than in that of the present 
day, i f is, from reasons already mentioned, unsafe to pronounce 
on the proportion which they may have borne to other and more 
fragile families. No true Cetonise are known, but the allied 
, genera Trichius and Valgus have occurred. All the Melolon- 
thidae are rare, but one species, Lepitrix Germanica, represents 
a genus now confined to the Cape of Good Hope. Two of the 
water-beetles found surpass in size any species now living. It 
is remarkable that one of the water-bugs found at CEningen is 
on a similarly gigantic scale. The Lepidopterous order is scarce 
at QEningen, as in all other localities for fossil insects. It is 
probably the youngest order, and was very sparingly developed 
in bye-gone epochs. 
In the Miocene of Switzerland and GEningen we find 6 sala- 
manders, 8 frogs and toads, 6 serpents, 21 tortoises, and 3 cro- 
codiles. One of the salamanders of this epoch is the species 
described by Scheuchzer as “ Homo Diluvii Testis .” 
Six species of birds have been recognised, and Prof. Heer 
possesses a fine fossil feather from QEningen. 
Mammals abound, especially Mastodons, Dinotheria, five spe- 
cies of rhinoceros, the Anchitherium and Hipparion , genera 
forming a transition to the horse of the present time, eleven 
species of swine, and Hynceloms Sulzeri — a connecting-link be- 
tween the cats and the hyaenas, but considerably larger than the 
Bengal tiger. Hycenodon also combines the characters of the 
hyaenas and the cats with some approximation to the marsupials. 
Gcilccynus palustris appears to conned! the dogs and the civets. 
Tailless long-armed apes have also been found belonging to the 
most highly developed group of the “ Quadrumana,” an order 
which we regret to see Prof. Heer still retains. 
From a careful consideration of the flora of Miocene Switzer- 
land we may conclude that its temperature must have been very 
similar to that now enjoyed by Louisiana, North Africa, and the 
Canaries, with a mean annual temperature of 68° or 69° F. 
Even at Spitzbergen the Miocene flora resembles that now 
existing in Northern Germany, and indicates a mean temperature 
of 46° F. 
But we must now take leave of the Miocene epoch, lingering 
traditions of which, if man existed so early, may have given 
rise to the “ golden age ” of mythology. Even before its close, 
however, a deterioration of climate became manifest, and in the 
next, or Quaternary period, the temperature of Switzerland and 
of Europe in general sunk to its present level. In the interval 
between the close of the Miocene and the formation of the 
Lignite, Prof. Heer thinks that the great western continent, 
which may have been the Atlantis of Plato, was submerged. 
Thus the connection between Europe and America was cut off, 
and perhaps the upheaval of the Alps took place at the same 
