THE GEOLOGIST. 



4S 



I^ext to the Cornbrash the J'orest Marble is the most important Eorma- 

 tion in this district, which, although occupying hereabouts probably 

 a larger area than the former, and, with its associated clay, thicker 

 than the Cornbrash, is equally rich in fossils, and the thicker calcareous 

 beds are of some value for economical purposes. There are several 

 quarries opened in the neighbourhood of the Agricultural College) where 

 many pretty specimens may be obtained. Of course the student will 

 pay a visit to the excellent museum of the College, for which so much 

 has been done by its present geological professor, Professor Buckman, 

 and if he goes theie first, he will observe what are the most character- 

 istic fossils found in the Formations under review, and will very likely 

 be able to procure many of them. In places, the Forest Marble contains 

 traces of land plants, besides marine shells and corals, in which respect 

 it resembles the Stonesfield slate, as also in its lithological structure. 

 Many of the slabs quarried are very large, and are strongly ripple- 

 marked, and, like similar strata deposited in shallow water, are fre- 

 quently covered with worm tracks, and other curious markings not 

 necessarily of organic origin. 



Near "Fairford, in an argillaceous stratum, probably connected with 

 the Forest Marble,^' numerous species of beautiful corals have been 

 discovered, but the locality has been kept secret, and few collectors are 

 acquainted with it. This, we think, is to be regretted ; it is a sort of 

 close-borough system, which should never be permitted among men of 

 science, and we are satisfied that a liberal spirit, both in making known 

 interesting localities for rare specimens, and a readiness to lend 

 them when required, is the real mark of the philosopher, and most 

 conducive to the interests of science. 



The Bradford clay, which does not always accompany the Great 

 Oolite in its range, is well displayed on the line of the Great "Western 

 railway near the Ackman-street station ; and, although not exceeding 

 seven feet in thickness, is loaded with fossils, upwards of 200 species 

 having been collected by Professor Buckman from this spot. Most of 

 these are present in the Great Oolite also, but a few, perhaps, may be 

 peculiar to it. One of its most striking organisms — the beautiful 

 Apiocrinite, or pear-shaped Encrinite, does not occur here, though it 

 occurs abundantly in the same stratum at Bradford, in Wiltshire ; but 

 there are plenty of pretty shells and corals to repay the collector. 



Or, perhaps, the Cornbrash. 



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