Yorkshire Naturalists at Askern. 255 



We can imagine that in times of peril the ancient people 

 would leave their pleasanter dwellings on the uplands to the 

 west, and, with their families and cattle, seek refuge here among 

 the stagnant swamps. 



There are still those living who can remember the Common 

 before the drainage system intruded itself, when it was seldom 

 visited by anyone, save perchance, a sportsman in search of 

 wild fowl. 



These earthworks owe their remarkably distinct state of 

 preservation in no small measure to their isolated position, 

 and, although they have not, as yet, been investigated to any 

 extent, they may be expected to yield some interesting ' finds ' 

 in the future. 



Geology. — Mr. H. Culpin writes : — A visit was made to 

 the colliery tip, and the party had the pleasure of discovering 

 some material which had been brought up on the previous 

 Monday, from one of the marine bands passed through in the 

 sinking. This they found contained Lingiila mytiloides, and 

 fish scales. They also obtained fossils from the prinicpal 

 marine band of the district, the order of position in which, from 

 the top to the base, is as follows : — 



Blue-grey shales, having a soapy feel, with fucoids. 

 Blue-grey shales, having a soapy feel, with Lingiila 



mytiloides. 

 Blue-grey shales, as above, but tending to grey, with 



Ctenodonta IcBvirostris, Pterinopecten papyraceus, etc., 



etc. 

 Dark grey shales, slightly speckled, and somewhat rough 



in appearance, with Pterinopecten papyraceus, Posi- 



doniella Icevis, Goniatites, Orthoceras, etc., etc. 

 Dark limestone. 



A cutting, which showed on one side contorted Middle 

 Permian Marls faulted against broken Upper Permian Lime- 

 stone, and on the other side the massive Lower Permian Lime- 

 stone faulted against bent Upper Permian Limestone, was 

 inspected. Close by, traces of the Upper Permian Marls were 

 noticed lying on the Upper Limestone. In an adjacent clay pit, 

 the Middle Permian Marls with gypsum beds, were seen in some 

 freshly cut sections. 



A return was then made to the colliery tip for the purpose 

 of examining the grey marls from the base of the Permian 

 Series. These yield Schizodus ohscuriis. The limestone im- 

 mediately above these shales contains Prodiictus horridns, 

 Camarophoria schlotheimii, Fenestella, Penniretipora, etc., and 

 there are also some traces of copper ore. 



An inspection followed of the inclined Upper Permian 



1912 Aug. I. 



