262 



NOTE ON PALUDICELLA. 



the magnesian limestone. At the collieries great courtesy was shown by Messrs. 

 Holmes and Hudson, and much information afforded. Plans and sections of the 

 workings were inspected ; and in order to show the nature of the rocks met with 

 in sinking the shafts, one end of the offices had been divided vertically into parallel 

 compartments, and then proportionately horizontally these were now filled in in 

 proper order with the rocks met with, and thus in a unique but accurate manner 

 the section could be studied. The powerful machinery used in working these very 

 extensive collieries was carefully shown and explained, and a descent of the pit 

 offered, but time did not permit of the latter. The way was now led to a very 

 fine section of the red rock, in a quarry a little distance from the colliery. This 

 red rock used to be, as regards its relationship and position, a vexed question with 

 geologists. Professor Sedgwick called it the lower red sandstone, and placed it at 

 the base of the Permian formation, and it was also thus described in the early days 

 of the geological survey. It is now provisionally referred by the Government 

 geologists to an upper division of the coal measures resting unconfoi'mably on the 

 main body of that formation. Passing through the pretty village of Harthill, the 

 party arrived at a quarry of very friable sandstone, known as quicksands, at the 

 base of the Permian formation. Very striking and picturesque excavations had 

 been made here. In some places spheroidal concretions of a calcareous nature 

 were observed. Coming to the village of Whitwell, a disused quarry was visited, 

 formerly worked for magnesian limestone. Some good specimens of the peculiar 

 toothed structure found in this rock were obtained. Passing over an outlier 

 of the lower red marl at Red Hill, the geologists were tempted to wander a little 

 from their field-work to inspect the fine old Norman chapel at Steetly, recently very 

 carefully and judiciously restored, and the retired position of which, with its 

 surrounding ancient yew trees, adds much to the solemn beauty of the scene. A 

 little way from the chapel are the famous Steetly Quarries of magnesian limestone, 

 which were visited. This stone, being crystalline, is of a very enduring nature, 

 and has long been used in the erection of buildings of great note. The next call 

 was at the Shireoaks Collieries, where the party was received by Mr. Tylden 

 Wright, F.G.S., and his son. Here, too, similar kindness awaited them as at 

 Kiveton ; sections of the mine and specimens of the rock met with were shown. 

 The whole of the extensive plant and machinery was also shown, with many 

 wonderful inventions and labour-saving appliances. After being conducted over 

 the beautiful modern church at Shireoaks, with its fine stained windows, the party 

 proceeded by train to Worksop. A brief outline of what had been done by the 

 Geological section, supplementary to Mr. Adamson's report, was also given by Dr. 

 Sorby. A vote of thanks to that gentleman for the honour he had done the Union 

 by presiding concluded the meeting. 



NOTE—POLYZOA. 



Paludicella ehrenbergi. — Those of your readers who study the fresh- 

 water polyzoa may be interested with the development of PahidiceUa ehrenbei'gi, 

 which at this season of the year shows the hybernacula described by Van Beneden , 

 but had not been seen by Professor Allman when he published his monograph on 

 the freshwater polyzoa. The Paludicella has not, so far as I know, been found 

 with statoblasts, and it seems very probable that the hybernaculum or winter 

 bud is the only method of development of this species. Van Beneden writes : ' The 

 hybernacula or gemmae, which under the influence of a favourable temperature, 

 would have grown into the ordinary lateral branches of the polyzoon, but which 

 towards the commencement of winter acquire a conical form, and then become for 

 a while arrested in their development. In this state, surrounded by a firm mem- 

 brane of a blackish grey colour, they continue until the following spring, when the 

 investing membrane splits to allow the elongation of the branch.*' In this stage I 

 have found it, taken from the canal near Chester, on two or three occasions, at this 

 season of the year, and I shall be glad to find that some of your readers have also 

 found it, so as to confirm Van Beneden's description. — Thos. Shepheard, 

 Kingsley Lodge, Chester, 23rd April, 1885.- 



Naturalist, 



