﻿Yol. 66.'] DERBYSHIRE AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COALFIELD. 331 



(4) Digby Claypit, 1 Kimberley, Nottinghamshire (horizon : Top 

 Hard Coal), where over 130 specimens have been obtained, and 

 where certain symmetrical, smooth-surfaced, ovoid nodules contain 

 these organisms to the exclusion of all other fossils. Isolated 

 examples have been obtained from Waingroves Claypit (horizon : 

 Top Hard Coal) ; Nelson Street Claypit, Heanor, Derbyshire 

 (horizon : Dunsil Coal) ; Loscoe Claypit, Heanor (horizon : Top 

 Hard Coal) ; and from a small opening in the Great Northern 

 Eailway goods-yard, Eastwood. 



The various species of Palceo.vyris that have been found in the 

 district are: — 



Palcsoxyris prendeli, Lesquereux. Shipley, Newthorpe, and Brindsley. 



Palcsoxyris carbonaria, Schimper. Brindsley and Digby. 



Palcsoxyris helicteroides (Morris). Shipley, Digby, Brindsley, and Meadow 



Lane. 

 Palcsoxyris (Vetacapsula) johnsoni, Kidston. Shipley and Digby. 



Palceoxyris helicteroides proves to be by far the commonest 

 species. Of the 130 Digby specimens, all but two must, at present, 

 be classed under the species helicteroides, in that they are charac- 

 terized by a broad band or segment arranged in a spiral manner, 

 alternating with one half its breadth. They differ markedly in 

 size, 2 from 10*8 centimetres in length and 3 cm. in breadth, to 

 about 3*5 cm. in length and 1 cm. in breadth. The great majority, 

 however, maintain a fairly uniform size of 5*20 centimetres in 

 length by 1*2 cm. in breadth. 



Description of the Fossils. 



Paljloxyris helicteroides (Morris). (PI. XXIV, figs. 1-4.) 



A fusiform thick-walled sac, prolonged upwards into a beak, 

 downwards into a pedicle. Its walls are composed of spirally 

 arranged, alternately broad and narrow bands. It is difficult to 

 determine in compressed examples, such as all these are, the 

 number of bands or segments which go to make up the spiral. 

 There must obviously have been an even number ; otherwise the 

 alternation of broad and narrow bands would not occur (Dr. Kidston 

 gives from six to seven bands). From a careful examination of 

 many of the most perfect of these new specimens, it has been* found 

 that there were probably eight bands : four narrow, and four broad. 



The fossil may be divided for description into three parts : 

 (1) the pedicle, (2) the body, and (3) the beak. 



The pedicle is of variable length, never showing any definite 

 termination : its average length in the Digby specimens is 3-5 cm. 



1 See ' Geology of the Derbyshire & Notts Coalfield ' Mem. Geol. Surv. 1908, 

 p. 96, for description and figured section of this claypit. 



a In all measurements the length of the pedicle is omitted, as it is obviously 

 of variable length, only the body and beak being taken into account. The 

 breadth is taken across the broadest part of the body. 



2a2 



