. The ancient life-history of the earth; a comprehensive outline of the principles and leading facts of palaeontological science. Paleontology. Fig. 238.—Different views oiScictella subrohmda, a ISIiocene " Cake-Urchin" from the south of France. some extent its original coloration ] whilst the more durably- constructed insects are often in a state of exquisite preser- vation. The MoUusca of the Miocene period are very numerous, but call for little special comment. Upon the whole, they are generically very similar to the Shell-fish of the present day; whilst, as before stated, from fi
. The ancient life-history of the earth; a comprehensive outline of the principles and leading facts of palaeontological science. Paleontology. Fig. 238.—Different views oiScictella subrohmda, a ISIiocene " Cake-Urchin" from the south of France. some extent its original coloration ] whilst the more durably- constructed insects are often in a state of exquisite preser- vation. The MoUusca of the Miocene period are very numerous, but call for little special comment. Upon the whole, they are generically very similar to the Shell-fish of the present day; whilst, as before stated, from fifteen to thirty per cent of the species are identical with those now in existence. So far as the European area is concerned, the Molluscs indicate a decidedly hotter climate than the present one, though they have not such a distinctly tropical character as is the case with the Eocene shells. Thus we meet with many Cones, Volutes, Cowries, Olive-shells, Fig-shells, and the like, which are decidedly indicative of a high temperature of the sea. Folyzoans are abundant, and often attain considerable dimensions; whilst Brachiopods, on the other hand, are few in number. Bivalves and Univalves are extremely plentiful; and we meet here with the shells of Winged - Snails {Pteropods), belonging to such existing genera as Hyalea (fig. 239) and Cleodora. Lastly, the Cephalopods are represent- ed both by the chambered shells of Nautili and by the internal skeletons of Cuttle- fishes {Spirulii'ostra.) The Fishes of the iMiocene period are very abundant, but of httle special importance. Besides the remains of Bony Fishes, we meet in the marine deposits of this age with numerous pointed teeth belonging to different kinds of Sharks. Some of the genera of these— such as Carcharodo7i (fig. 241), Oxyrhina (fig. 240), La??ina^ and Galeocerdo—are very widely distributed, ranging through Fig. 239.—Different views of the shell of Hyalea Orbig7iyana, a Miocene Please note that these i
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Keywords: ., bookcentur, bookdecade1870, booksubjectpaleontology, bookyear1876
