Reports & Proceedings — Geological Society of London. 281 



our knowledge of the flora of the Middle Coal-measures of South 

 Wales. 



2. " The Halesowen Sandstone Series of the Southern End of the 

 South Staffordshire Coal-field ; and the Petrified Logs of Wood found 

 therein at Witley Colliery, Halesowen (AVorcestershire)." By Henry 

 Kay, F.G.S. With an Appendix on the Structure of a New Species 

 of Badoxylon, by E. A. Newell Arher, M.A., Sc.D., F.L.S., E.G.S. 



The Halesowen Sandstones are separable from the Old Hill Marls 

 by a series of passage-beds consisting of conglomerate bands, marl 

 bands, and ironshot sandstones. 



At the summit of the series is Professor Charles Lapworth's 

 " Spiroriis Limestone Group", which is renamed the " lUey Group " 

 in consequence of the discovery of Spirorhis limestone at other 

 horizons. 



The Halesowen coal-seam and associated beds of blue clay form 

 a definite intermediate horizon traceable across the coal-tield. On 

 this is based a classification consisting of — 



(5) The Illey Group . . ' 



(4) The Hasbury Group . 



(3) The Halesowen Coal and Clays 



(2) The Witley Group 



(1) The Passage Beds 



The area is folded into two anticlines with a deep central syncline 

 ranging south-south-eastwards, and the strata have a persistent 

 south-south-easterly dip. The northern face is let down by a fault 

 repeating the lower beds. Other faults throw southwards, and yet 

 others intersect the anticlines. Unconformities occur' at the base 

 and at the summit of the Hasbury Group in the Wassel Grove area, 

 the former being largely buried by horizontal members of the group. 

 Mining operations show the existence of a buried anticline with the 

 full Coal-measure Series, but cutting out successively the Old Hill 

 Marls, the Passage Beds, and a great part of the Witley Group. 

 This is cut off by a fault only from the exposed Netherton Anticline 

 immediately on the north, the uprise of which in early Upper 

 Carboniferous time is therefore inferred. 



The Keele Beds rest unconformably near the buried anticline upon 

 the Illey Group, and upon various members of the Hasbury Group, 

 and are themselves much reduced in thickness. Additional uplift 

 of the anticline in later Upper Carboniferous time is suggested as 

 the cause. 



The Witley Colliery rail way -cutting shows big logs of petrified 

 wood very finely preserved by calcite, and indisputably of Upper 

 Carboniferous age. The wood has been examined by Dr. Newell 

 Arber, who finds it to have Araucariau affinities, but of a species 

 new to science. In consequence of its Palaeozoic age, it is referred 

 to the genus Badoxylon. The type of preservation is also new to this 

 horizon in this country, and the discovery of Badoxylon at Witley 

 constitutes a new record for British Upper Carboniferous rocks. 

 Among the associated plants are Calamites, Lepidodendron, etc. 



