LOWER MIOCENE OE GERMANY. 
243 
boj, near Angram in Croatia, not far from the borders of 
Styria, is covered, says Von Buch, by beds containing the 
marine shells of the Vienna basin, or, in other words, by Up¬ 
per Miocene or Faliinian strata. They appear to correspond 
in age to the Mayence basin, or to the Rupelian strata of 
Belgium. They have yielded more than 200 species of fossil 
plants, described by the late Professor Unger. These plants 
are well preserved in a hard marlstone, and contain several 
palms ; among them the Sabal, Fig. 151, p. 237, and another 
genus allied to the date-palm Phcenicites spectabilis. The 
only abundant plant among the Radaboj fossils which is 
characteristic of the Upper Miocene period is the Popuhis 
mutabilis^ whereas no less than fifty of the Radaboj species 
are common to the more ancient flora of the Lower Molasse 
of Switzerland. 
The insect fauna is very rich, and, like the plants, indicates 
a more tropical climate than do the fossils of CEningen pres¬ 
ently to be mentioned. There are ten species of Termites, 
or Avhite ants, some of gigantic size, and large dragon-flies 
with speckled wings, like those of the Southern States in 
North America; there are also grasshoppers of considerable 
size, and even the Lepidoptera are not unrepresented. In 
one instance, the pattern of a butterfly’s wing has escaped 
Fig. 15T. 
Vanessa Pluto; nat. size. Lower Miocene, Radaboj, Croatia. 
obliteration in the marl-stone of Radaboj ; and when we re¬ 
flect on the remoteness of the time from which it has been 
faithfully transmitted to us, this fact may inspire the reader 
with some confidence as to the reliable nature of the charac¬ 
ters which other insects of a more durable texture, such as 
the beetles, may afford for specific determination. The Va¬ 
nessa above figured retains, says Heer, some of its colors, and 
corresponds with U Hadena of India. 
