208 NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE COAL FOSSILS. 



Crustacea. Of the various groups into which this class 

 of articulated animals is divided, that termed Ostracoda is 

 the most numerous in this coalfield. These creatures are 

 minute in size and are enclosed in bivalve shells. There are 

 few beds in which they are not found. Beyrichia arcuata 

 (Bean) is the commonest and most widely distributed species- 

 This little creature is easily recognized "by having the 

 valves curiously pinched and divided into two or more 

 lobes by transverse or oblique sulci." Immense numbers 

 are found in the Bassy mine ironstone. Of the higher 

 orders of Crustacea, very few specimens have been collected. 

 One specimen of Belinurus has been found associated with 

 marine shells, in a nodule of clay ironstone in the roof of 

 the Hard mine coal at Adderley Green. Mr. Molyneux, 

 F.G.S., has recently discovered a number of Macruran 

 decapod crustaceans (Anthrapalaemon Grossartii) in a thin 

 band of ironstone in the Churnet Valley. One specimen 

 of a rare form of Eurypterus has been found by Mr. Lunn, 

 in a bed of grey marl at a colliery near Harecastle railway 

 station. 



/ 



CRUSTACEA. 



Beyrichia fastigiata (Jones and Kirby) : rare : in a thin 

 band of ironstone, Ipstones. B. arcuata (Bean.) : 

 common : Upper Measures ; Knowles, Chalky, Deep 

 mine, and other ironstones, Longton ; Adderley Green ; 

 Lower Measures, Cheadle coalfield. Cythera Ranldn- 

 **iana (Jones and Kirby, Mon. Carb. Entom. pi. 2, 

 fig. 24 27) : rare : in a band of freshwater lime- 

 stone, near Newcastle railway station. C. (Carbonia) 

 fabulina (Jones and Kirby) : common : a large variety 

 in the Kuowles ironstone, Fenton ; Cockshead iron- 

 stone ; Hard mine coal shale, Adderley Green. 



