ICO 



Minute and careful as were the researches of the officers of the Ordinance 

 Survey in this district, the existance of an upheaval of Silurian rocks at Hagley 

 Park entirely escaped their notice. The discovery of this quarry in which 

 they are so manifestly shown was the first feather in the cap of the Wcolhope 

 Club. It was made by the late M. J. Scobie, Esq., who worked at it with all 

 the intelligent zeal for which he was so distinguished. He took the exact dip 

 of the strata, noted their characters, measured their thickness, and collected 

 their fossils, until he had quite satisfied himself v/vh the reality and import- 

 ance of his discovery. He then invited the late Hugh E. Strickland, Esq., 

 F.R.S., F.G.S., Reader in Geology at Oxford, to come and see it. Mr. Strick- 

 land fully confirmed Mr. Scobie's observations, and wrote a paper on the subject 

 which appeared in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society. 



The general facts and conclusions of this paper were given to the gentle- 

 men present, with an account of the crustacean fossil found here, by Mr. 

 Scobie. It proved to be the Pterygotus problcmaticus of Agassiz, and it was 

 afterwards figured and described in the Quarterly Geological Journal by J. W. 

 Salter, Esq., F.G.S. 



It was decided that these papers of Messrs. Strickland and Salter should 

 appear in our own Transactions — meanwhile an active examination of the 

 rocks was being made and many fossils were found. The celebrated " Ludlow 

 Bone bed," described by Sir Roderick Murchison in the " Siluiian System," 

 is unquestionably represented in this quarry. It occurs between the Downton 

 Sandstone and the Upper Ludlow Shale, and varies here in thickness from that 

 of a wafer to an inch and a half in some places. The quarry was not being 

 worked near the junction at this time, but a search was made specially for it, 

 and with the aid of a man and a pickaxe some few spines were found to-day. 



The Rev. J. D. La Touche said this Bone-bed varied very much in thick- 

 ness in different localities as might be expected. At Corston, Salop, it was as 

 much as six inches in thickness, and consisted almost entirely of a mass of 

 scales and teeth and bones of fishes broken up and water-worn — what these 

 fishes were is not known with any certainty. 



Leaving the Quarry the hunt for Funguses beneath the oak trees in the 

 park began most unsuccessfully — not one was to be seen ; but here, as every- 

 where ebe, the abundance of acorns could not fail to be observed, and the 

 wonder was expressed why they were not systematically collected. When 

 crushed and given in small quantities to sheep and pigs, acorns form a most 

 nourishing and useful food. ' At a time when fodder is so scarce as it is this year 

 it does indeed seem strange that this prolific source of food should be so 

 much overlooked. The Horse-chestnuts too are still more neglected, and yet it 

 is stated positively that when crushed cows will eat them readily and give an 

 increased supply of excellent milk. This year they too are very abundant and 

 fine, and it is sad that their only use should be as playthings for children 

 to string and hang round their necks. Will no one give village children the 



