LUDLOW SERIES. I03 



earthy limestone, often well-bedded in layers of from one to five 

 feet in thickness, but sometimes of a concretionary nature. It is 

 inconstant in occurrence, and generally contains numerous layers of 

 shells and corals, whilst associated with it are beds of shale. The 

 thickness has been estimated at from 30 to 40 feet, but frequently 

 it is much less. 



The fossils include Adinocrinus pulcher, Palmaster Ruthveni, Phacops 

 caiidatus, Calymette Blumenbachii, Ceratiocaris mornatus, etc. More 

 abundant are Penlamerus Knightii, Rhy?ichonella Wilsoni, Lingida 

 Lewisii, Strophojnena etcglypha, Atrypa reticularis, etc. Other fossils 

 are Bellerophon dilatatus and Pterinea Soiverbyi. The Corals include 

 species of Cyathophyllum, Favosites, Heliolites, Pctraia, etc. 



Most of the Aymestry fossils are found also in the Wenlock 

 Limestone. Salter regarded the Aymestry Limestone as only a 

 calcareous condition of the Lower Ludlow formation.^ The relative 

 position and fossil contents of the Aymestry Limestone were first 

 worked out by the Rev. T. T. Lewis, of whom Murchison has 

 spoken as " my most efficient coadjutor in all the regions of 

 Siluria."^ 



At Aymestry the limestone occupies both banks of the river 

 Lugg, but it has been chiefly quarried on the right bank, close 

 to the village. It is developed in Shropshire and Staff'ordshire as 

 well as in Herefordshire. Fossils are to be obtained near Ludlow, 

 Leintwardine, at Sedgley near Dudley, near Broseley, Dean, and 

 Much Wenlock. South-west of Aymestry, near Presteign, the 

 limestone thins out ; but it is represented at Abberley, Malvern, 

 Woolhope, May Hill, and Usk. At Malvern the limestone has 

 been exposed at Hales End quarry. (See Figs. 12, 13, and 14.) 



The Aymestry Limestone forms bold ridges and scarps of rock where well 

 developed, near Ludlow and Ledbury. At Palmer's Cairn, or Churn Bank, 

 south-west of Ludlow, there is a landslip produced by the limestone, which is 

 much jointed, breaking away and slipping over the subjacent Lower Ludlow 

 shales. (See p. loi.) 



The limestone is extensively burnt for lime. That at Sedgley (Sedgley 

 Limestone), which is a dark blue or black limestone, forms an excellent hydraulic 

 cement, and here it is locally known as the "Erown lime." 



Upper Ludlow Beds. 



These beds consist of flaggy arenaceous and micaceous shales 

 and mudstones, greenish-grey sandstones, and layers of thin shelly 

 limestone. Ripple-marks are occasionally to be seen on the 

 surfaces of the beds. Their thickness near Ledbury is about 

 140 feet. The lower beds sometimes contain calcareous shelly 

 layers, with RhynchoneUa navicula. 



The upper beds include the well-known Ludlow Bone-bed, 



^ Catalogue of Cambrian and Silurian Fossils, p. 161. See also R. Lightbody, 

 Q.J. xix. 368. 



- Siluria, edit. 5, p. 129. 



