1851).] 8yu0xds ledbury tunnel. 193 



November 2, 1859. 



William Fryer, Esq., 10, Maiiborough-hill Gardens, St. John's 

 Wood ; Henry Salmon, Esq., 38, Coburg Street, Plymouth ; and the 

 llev. Samuel George Phear, M.A., Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 

 were elected Fellows. Dr. Ferdinand lioemer, Professor of Geology 

 and Paleontology at the University of Breslau, was elected a Foreign 

 Member. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. On the Passage-beds from the Upper Silurian Rocks into the 

 Lower Old Red Sandstone, at Ledbury, Herefordshire. By the 

 Rev. W. S. Symonds, F.G.S., Rector of Pcndock. 



The transition, or passage-rocks, which connect the Upper Silurian 

 deposits with the basement-beds of the Old Red Sandstone epoch, 

 are most interesting to the geologist ; and as a very remarkable 

 section of these rocks is now visible on the line of railway near 

 Ledbury, in Herefordshire, a few notes with a sketch and section 

 may be acceptable. 



In my communication on " The Old Red Sandstone of Hereford- 

 shire,"' published in the Edinburgh Xew Philosophical Journal (April 

 1, 185!). p. 232), I expressed my opinion that the Ludlow sections 

 on the horizon of the passage-beds above the Downton Sandstone are 

 broken by faults, and that the true succession is therefore destroyed. 

 I had come to this determination long before the beds now developed in 

 the railroad-cutting at Ledbury were exposed to view; and, having 

 again lately visited Ludlow, and compared the passage-rocks of that 

 district with those of Ledbury, I am convinced that nowhere perhaps 

 in the world is there such an exhibition of passage-beds presented to 

 the eye of the geologist as at the Ledbury tunnel, on the Worcester 

 and Hereford Railway. Fortunately most of the passage-beds are 

 laid open to the sunlight, and the important points exposed. 



When engaged upon the section, I was accompanied by my friends 

 Mr. Edmond Richards, and the Messrs. Ballard, the Engineers on 

 the Worcester and Hereford Bail way, to whom I return my best 

 thanks for their hearty and efficient cooperation. 



The strata dip at an angle of 71° aorth-by-weat. The accom- 

 panying sketch (see fig. <>n p. L94) gives a view of the beds look- 

 ing from the Ledbury side towards Dog Hill, and facing the tunnel- 

 mouth. 



The beds exposed range, in descending order, from rocks of the age 

 of the Lower old Bed Sandstone | No. 2 7 of section) to rocks thai pass 

 into the uppermosl Silurian or Downton beds (No. 3), and include 

 the celebrated bluish-grey rooks of the Ludlow section, with similar 

 fossil tish, crustaceans, and BhellB. 



AvmeMrv Bock i No. i of section). 

 When 1 last visited the tunnel (a fortnight since, in oompany with 

 sir Charles Hastings, Major Tenuant, and the Rev. J. Pearson), the 



