254 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



Lea™g the vegetable kingdom and ascending to that of the ani- 

 mal, we find in these beds but few zoophytes, these organisms being 

 chiefly confined to the upper division of the Bath Oolite already 

 mentioned. The Annelida are represented by a small serpula, and 

 the Crustacea by a small lobster (Ghjphia rostrata), and a small spe- 

 cies of crab (Eryon) not yet named. Faint but unmistakable relics 

 appear of that department of animal life usually regarded as the 

 most frail and perishing, namely the class of insects ; nevertheless, 

 the remains of primeval beetles and dragon-flies are preserved in the 

 fossil state. The most frequent specimens of this kind are the elytra, 

 or wing-cases of beetles allied to the Buprestidgg, or Prionidse, races 

 which abound in warm, but are not excluded from temperate, climates. 

 The Oxford Museum contains the wing of a neuropterous insect 

 allied to the dragon-fly, most elaborately described by Dr. Buckland, 

 and likewise the hind-leg of a species of Curculio, exhibiting the 

 peculiar adaptation for leaping. 



Having noticed the insects, the MoUusca, or shell-fish, now claim 

 our attention, and we remark their number to be comparatively 

 limited. The Brachiopoda are represented by two species of Rhyn- 

 chonella (B. concinna and B. ohsoleta). Among the Monomyarian 

 bivalves may be enumerated three species of Gervillia (G. acuta, G. 

 subcylindrica, and G.ovata), three of Lima (L. im])ressa, L. du]jJicaia, 

 and L. ]jrohoscideci) , two of Inoceramus (J. obliquiis and I. amygda- 

 loides), two of Pinna (P. ampla and P. cuiieata), three of Pecten 

 (P. lens, P. annulatus, and P. vagans), one of Perna (P. rugosct), and 

 several species of Ostr^a, the best defined of wliich are 0. acuminata 

 and 0. Soiverhii. The Dimyarian bivalves also comprise several 

 genera distributed as follows : — Two species of Modiola {M. plicata 

 and M. implicata\ two of Pholadomya (P. aciiticosta and P. Murchi- 

 sonii ?\t\Yo of Trigonia (T. Moretonvi and T. ^'ijijjressa), the latter 

 being highly characteristic of this formation, and occurring in great 

 abundance, its opened valves completely covering the surfaces of 

 many of the slates; one of Mytilus (ill. suhlcevis) , one of Cardium 

 (C. acutangidicm) , also a species of TJnicardium and My a calcei- 

 formis (?) The Gasteropodous univalves include Alaria trifida, 

 Patella rugosa,P. Pomeri two species of Natica, one of Actceonina, 

 one of Turho, and a small JSferita, which often retains very distinct 

 traces of the black and yellow bands of colour that adorned its shell. 

 The Cephalopoda are represented by but few species, and individually 

 they exhibit an equal paucity of numbers ; we may, however, enu- 

 merate Belcmn'des fusiform is and P. Bessums, associated with Nautdiis 

 Baherl and Ammonites gracilis, with the cast of another Ammonite, 

 too imperfect for identification. 



Still ascending in ,the scale of animated beings, the fossil fishes of 

 Stoiicsfield come under our consideration. The gTeater number of 

 these have been described by Agassiz, and constitute a large and 

 extremely interesting group, although rarely more than fragmentary, 

 and chiefly represented by the teeth, scales, and " spears," as the 

 workmen term the ichthyodoruliteS; with a true rendering of the 



