15 



exception, the numerous fossil insects he has obtained occur in the 

 bottom parts of the lower beds near the base of the lias, which are 

 seen at several points in the neighbourhood of Gloucester, At 

 Wainlode Cliff, the lower beds of lias, resting on red marl, form a 

 bold escarpment on the south bank of the Severn, and alFoi'd the 

 following section in descending order : — 



1. Clay: 3 ft. 



2. Blue hmestone, with Ostrea, &c. (the "bottom bed"): 4 in. 



3. Yellow shale with fucoid plants: 6 in. 



4. Gray and blue limestone, termed by Mr. Brodie " insect lime- 

 stone " from its characteristic fossils, passing into yellow shale 

 above, where it is nearly white, and has the aspect of a fresh- 



■ water limestone : 3 to 5 in. 



5. Marly clay : 5 ft. 3 in. 



6. Hard yellow limestone, with small shells like Cyclas, plants and 

 Cypris : 6 to 8 in. 



7. Marly clay: 9 ft. 6 in. 



8. Bed with fucoid bodies : 1 in. 



9. Shale: 1ft. 6 in. 

 10. Pecten bed : 4 in. 



Nine feet below this is the bone -bed, 20 feet above which is the yel- 

 low Cypris limestone, and 26 feet 2 inches the insect limestone. The 

 total height of the cliff is about 100 feet. 



The insect remains consist chiefly of elytra belonging to the seve- 

 ral genera of Coleoptera, which are not very rare ; and a few wings, 

 not unlike the genus Tipula, which bear a close resemblance to some 

 Mr. Brodie had previously found in the Wealden ; the latter are 

 much rarer than the former. The elytra are generally of a light 

 brown colour and small size ; in some cases both the elytra are at- 

 tached. With these were found abdomens of some insects and larva 

 apparently of the gnat tribe. Shells are not common, but Ostrea, 

 Uiiio, and a small species of Modiola are the most abundant. The 

 fossils from the yellow limestone. No. 4, bear a close resemblance to 

 those from the Wealden. The real genus of the bivalve resembling 

 Cyclas is undetermined. The jalants belong to a species of Fucus, 

 apparently an inhabitant of fresh water. At Combe-hill Mr. Brodie 

 also observed both the insect limestone and that containing the small 

 bivalves. To the south-west of this point the insect limestone is well 

 seen, and yielded the greatest number and variety of insect remains. 

 Here the yellow limestone was not traced, and the bone-bed was want- 

 ing. The fossil insects are, as at Wainlode Cliff, for the most part re- 

 mains of small Coleoptera, sometimes tolerably preserved, and in one 

 specimen the eyes were visible. None of the beetles resemble those 

 of the Wealden, but some wings of insects, allied to Tipula, are very 

 similar. A few imperfect but large wings of Libellula occur : there 

 are also numerous singular impressions of a doubtful nature, many 

 of which may however owe their origin to the partially decomposed 

 bodies of various insects. With these are numerous small plants, 

 some resembling mosses, but very different from those in the yellow 

 Cypris limestone, a few seed-vessels and leaves of fern. A small spe- 



