280 CORKESPONDENCE. 



In no case was there any large quantity, and for obvious reasons not 

 much was gathered. Upon comparison with some fine specimens of 

 this moss sent me previously by Mr. Bagiiall, there was no 

 doubt as to its identity, but the Bedfordshire specimens, so far as 

 observed, are more diminutive tlian those received from Warwickshire. 

 —J. Saundeks, Luton. 



[I have carefully examined specimens of the Aspley Wood moss, 

 sent me by Mr. J. Saunders, and agree with Mr. Boswell's opinion 

 that it is Dicranuiii moitlanum. This is an interesting find, and confirms 

 my opinion that the moss will be found to have a larger area of 

 distribution if sought for on the roots of oaks and alders than has been 

 anticipated. Hitherto the plant has only been recorded from three of 

 Watson's provinces, viz., .S, 5, and 1.5. To this record we must add 

 province 4, sub-province 12, West Ouse. The Warwickshire habitats 

 belong to both " Mid Severn" and " West Trent." — J. E. Bagnall.] 



Galena in the Lower Keupek Sandstone. — While examining, in the 

 spring, the cuttings for the Charnwood Forest Kailway, now in course 

 of construction along the northern border of the Forest, I was rather 

 startled at one spot to find Galena in large quantities in Lower Keuper 

 Sandstone. About a mile and a quarter south-west of Sheepshed 

 the bed of the long-deserted Charnwood Canal passes through a deep 

 cutting in the coarse red sandstone which there forms the base oi 

 the Keuper. It was in the section hei'e exposed, and just underneath 

 the bridge which carries the road from Sheepshed to Blackbrook, that 

 the Galena occurred. The ore was contained in pebbles and rolled 

 lumps of impure limestone of the Carboniferous type, and not unlike 

 that worked years ago at Dimminsdale, in South Derbyshire, six or 

 seven miles to the north-west. The Galena was present in consider- 

 able quantity, and in the samples I was able to bring away formed 

 fifty to sixty per cent, of the mass. The calcareous matrix of the 

 pebbles presented a somewhat spongy texture on account of the perco- 

 lation of acidulated water. The limestone pebbles seemed to occur 

 at only one spot, so far as I could make out. On the west side of the 

 bridge, a large hole by which the lead ore appeared to have been 

 extracted was now bricked up. The impression that the spot had been 

 worked for lead was confirmed by a native of this part, who happened 

 to be passing by at the time of my visit, and who informed me that he 

 could reinember, many years ago, a large quantity of lead being got 

 out here. Be that as it niay, of the occurrence of pebbles of Carboni- 

 ferous limestone in the Lower Keuper Sandstone thei-e could be no 

 doubt. There was little or nothing in the section to indicate the 

 direction of the currents that brought the Keuper sediment. About 

 a inile farther east, however, I noticed a bed of sandstone in the 

 Keuper at a higher horizon, which could be traced for half a mile or 

 more, steadily tailing away in an easterly direction. The occurrence 

 of inliers of Carboniferous Limestone at Grace Dieu, Osgathorpe, 

 Barrow Hill, Breedon Cloud, and Breedon Hill, which evidently 

 formed islands during Lower Keuper times, suggests the probability 

 that other bosses exist still farther east, but which are now buried 

 beneath the pall of Keuper marl. It was probably from one of these 

 supposed concealed bosses of limestone that the pebbles found in the 

 Keuper were derived. My examination of the spot, I may add, was 

 cut short by a storm of wind and rain, and another opportunity never 

 came. Hence this imperfect record. The ground is now occupied by 

 the railway. — J. Shipman, Nottingham. 



