By Mr. Cunnington, F.G.S. 



5 



stratum, yielding the well known building stone. It was deposited 

 in a shallow sea, the bottom of which was constantly sinking, and 

 as constantly filling up, until the mass, which consists chiefly of 

 the debris of small shells and corals, had accumulated to the 

 depth of at least 160 feet. In this particular neighbourhood, when 

 this process had ceased, and the whole mass had become consoli- 

 dated, it presented a firm surface, well suited to the growth of the 

 Apiocrinus which required a solid base, on which to spread out its 

 stony roots. 



Let us like true archaeologists step back 

 some thousands of years into the past, and 

 endeavour to realize the period when the 

 stone lilies grew in luxuriance in the tran- 

 quil sea which covered the spot where we 

 are now meeting. Here many generations 

 of them lived and flourished, until the sea 

 bottom was like a parterre of these mimic 

 flowers in stone. Several species of Terebra- 

 tulce (or lamp shells) clustered round the 

 roots of the Apiocrinites. Many species of fish 

 glided through these ancient waters, and oc- 

 casionally disturbed the tranquillity of the 

 scene by preying upon the molluscs, (the 

 Terebratulce probably included) which doubt- 

 less constituted their food, as the palatal 

 teeth of some of them are so constructed as 

 to be well adapted for crushing shells. 

 Echini crawled over the rocks, and corals of 

 elegant forms, with other zoophytes and shells 

 varied the beauty of the submarine scenery. 



Apiocrinus ParJiinsoni. Brad- 

 ford encrinite— the smaller 

 figures represent the animal 

 in its young state — the one 

 with the arms expanded, the 

 other having them closed. 



Terebratula decussata (or coarctata), one of the 

 most characteristic fossils of the Bradford clay. 



Terebratula digona, also 

 characteristic of the stratum. 



