492 



FOSSILS. — SILURIAN ROCKS OF THE LICKEY. 



Organic Remains. 



For a knowledge of the organic remains of these formations, as found in the districts 

 of Dudley and Wallsall, I refer to the plates and their descriptions ; it being sufficient 

 here to state, that those found at Sedgeley, Turner's Hill, the Hayes, &c, perfectly coin- 

 cide with specimens from Ludlow and Aymestry, whilst seven-eighths of the fossils of 

 Dudley and Wallsall agree with those of Wenlock Edge. 



In identifying the fossils of Dudley with those of Wenlock, I am, however, bound to 

 acknowledge, that in certain classes, particularly Crustacea and Crinoidea, the greatest 

 number and variety of beautiful remains occur at Dudley. (See Plates.) 



It has been shown, in alluding to the Trilolites of the Upper Silurian rocks, that some 

 of the characteristic species, such as Calymene Blumeribachii and Asaphus caudatus, are 

 found abundantly, both in the lower part of the Ludlow, and the upper part of the Wen- 

 lock formations, though on the whole those species are more abundant in the latter. 

 My belief, till very recently, was that the genus Homalonotus was peculiar to the 

 Upper Ludlow rock, (see p. 200.) A discovery, however, made while these pages were 

 passing through the press, modifies this inference. The Homalonotus Knightii has been 

 found in certain rubbly beds overlying the upper band of limestone, and thus this crus- 

 tacean must be considered as common to the whole Ludlow formation 1 . 



Silurian Rocks of the Lickey Hills. (PI. 37. figs. 7, 8 and 9.) 



The Lickey quartz rock acquired a name among geologists by the description of 

 Dr. Buckland, who fixed upon it as one of the magazines whence the quartz pebbles, 

 so largely strewed over this part of England and the valley of the Thames, had been 

 originally derived 2 . The precise age of this rock, or its position in the geological series, 

 has, however, not yet been pointed out, although some approximation to it was made 

 by the Rev. J. Yates 3 . As the northern end of this ridge of quartz rock (Holly Hill) 

 is not more than three miles from the southern extremity of the great coal-field, and 

 as I have now ascertained that it occupies the place of the Caradoc Sandstone, a lower 

 formation of the Silurian System than is exhibited in any part of the Dudley country, 

 the description of it follows naturally in this place. 



1 One of the specimens of Homalonotus, the property of Mr. Blackwell, detected in these rubbly beds at 

 Dudley Castle Hill, being of more perfect form and larger dimensions than any I had ever seen, it is now 

 figured in a separate Plate. (PI. 7 bis.) The local collections I am most indebted to are those of Mr. and 

 Mrs. Downing, of Mr. Cartwright, and of Mr. Gray. The reputation of Mr. Peyton, of Dudley, as a purveyor 

 of these beautiful fossils, is widely spread. 



2 Geol. Trans., vol. v. p. 506. Old Series. s G eo i, Trans., vol. ii. p. 255. 



