﻿Vol. 6 1.] IN THE NOB.TH-STAFFOKDSHIRE COAL-MEASURES. 501 



was described by him as overlying the Gin Mine. They were, 

 however, independently discovered by Mr. John Ward, E.G.S., 

 and our previous knowledge of the wonderful fauna of these beds is 

 due to the patient work of that observer. 



(3) The Speedwell and Nettlebank Marine Bed. 



Fortunately, this important horizon was carefully worked in 1865 

 at Speedwell Colliery, near Longton (15 in Pi. XXXIV) and later 

 at Meir Hay, near Longton (14 in PI. XXXIV) by Mr. John 

 Ward. It was not again observed until March 9th, 1903, when 

 I discovered it at the Nettlebank sinking, near Smallthorne (9 in 

 PI. XXXIV), although during that interval it also must have been 

 passed through a great number of times. In June 1904, by the 

 aid of a grant from the British Association, the outcrop of the bed 

 was ascertained near Smallthorne, and its position mapped. This 

 horizon affords exact proof of the identity of the Twist Coal of the 

 Norton area with the Gin Mine of the Longton area — these places 

 being about 4| miles apart. 



At Speedwell Colliery the marine horizon was met with about 

 90 feet below the Gin Mine, and at Nettlebank it was found about 

 54 feet below the Twist Coal. 



Beyond comparison this is the most important marine deposit in 

 the Coalfield : it is remarkably rich in fossils, with respect both to 

 number of species and to number of individuals. It marks singular 

 extensions of the range of many forms, for its position is seen 

 to be in the upper portion of the ' true Coal-Measures.' Some of 

 the fossils are new to science, and some belong to genera new to 

 Britain. 



After I had informed a few of my friends of the existence 

 of a large quantity of material at Nettlebank, I received their 

 valuable aid in collecting, and the following list is the result of 

 their joint labours. In this connection, special acknowledgment 

 must be made of the services of Dr. Wheelton Hind and Messrs. 

 John Ward, W. Lockett, J. Pringle, A. E. Cooke, and E. P. Turner. 



Speedwell, i Nettlebank. 

 common ; n.r. = not rare."] No. 15 No. 9 



(PI. XXX1V).;(P1. XXXIV). 



Ctenodonta Icevirostris, Portl. 



Ctenodonta undulata j 



Edmondia sp j 



Nucula gibbosa, Fleming I 



Nucula oblonga, M'Coy j 



Nuculana acuta (Sow.) 



Nuculana Sharmani, E,. Eth. fil 



Posidoniella l<e vis (Brown) 



Posidoniella sulcata, sp. nov 



(Salt.) 



e. 

 n.r. 



