78 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



their esteemed Hon. Sec, Professor Buckman. The number was increased hy tbo 

 timely arrival of several Warwickshire naturalists, who all proceeded at once to 

 the church, an ancient structure containing many points of interest, but spoilt, 

 as too many country churches are, by galleries and other deformities. After 

 inspecting this, the archaeologists proceeded to look over the town and neighbour- 

 hood, which occupied them satisfactorily during the afternoon. The geologists 

 and botanists, who mustered in greater strength than usual, went to the spoil 

 banks on the railway, which are the result of the excavations obtained from the 

 Mickleton Tunnel, and which have been long famous for their rare and beautiful 

 fossils. The strata in which they were discovered belong to the top beds of the 

 lower lias, just below the marlstone which is seen cropping out by the side of the 

 banks, on the line, near Mickleton, and on the rising ground adjacent. In the 

 shale and clay below the marlstone are layers of ironstone rich in ore, so much so, 

 that it might be worked with profit ; indeed, a similar bed was formerly worked 

 in the same position in the lias at Robinswood Hill, near Gloucester. Associated 

 with it is a bed of sandstone full of organic remains, chiefly marine shells, lying 

 together in masses, in great variety and abundance. The rarer forms obtained at 

 this locality consist of several new species of starfish, ophinra, Crustacea, and 

 some echeriodernus, which were first discovered by Mr. Gavey, the intelligent 

 engineer of the line, and have since been figured and described by the late Pro> 

 fesf^or Forbes, in the third Decade of the Geological Survey. In the couise of the 

 rumble, PiX)fessor Buckman, at the request of the Vice-President of the Warwick- 

 shire Club, gave a brief account of the geology of the district ; and thus ended a 

 very pleasant and instructive day, which was rendered still more agreeable by the 

 beauty of the scenery and many other points of interest in the neighbourhood. 

 One of the botanists present discovered an extremely rare, if not an entirely new, 

 plant, which will probably be shortly figured and described. 



The second summer meeting was held at Dudley, on the 22nd of June. The 

 members assembled at the Hotel at 10, where they were joined by the Worcester- 

 shire Naturalist's Field Club, and, under the guidance of Mr. Fletcher, the party 

 proceeded to the far-famed Wren's Nest, and the greater part of the day was 

 spent investigating the many interesting geological features which it presents. 

 It is composed entirely of Wenlock limestone in the upper Silurian series, which 

 here rises up into dome-shaped masses, forming the Castle Hill, Wren's Nest, and 

 other lesser elevations, which have been protruded through the surrounding coal 

 formation by igneous action from below. At Rowby and other places these 

 outbursts of igneous rocks are apparent at the surface, and are foimed entirely 

 of trap or basalt, which is extensively used as a road-stone. As may be supposed, 

 the strata are highly inclined, and dip away at steep angles on all sides of the 

 nnticlinal. On the summit of the hill the Vice-President (Mr. Brodie), at the 

 request of the party, pointed out the geological features of the district, and 

 briefly alluded to the many curious fossils for which it has been long celebrated. 

 Many of the commoner fossils were picked up by the geologists present, who 

 formed a numerous body on .this occasion. The view from the hill was said to be 

 extensive, but a combinati^ of mist and smoke obscured every distant object." 

 Iteturuing by the coal-pits, the members were much interested by seeing the 

 upturned beds of the coal formation, which have been raised to the surface by the 

 urrlu-aval of the Wren's Nest, and dip away from it almost vertically. 



Tho members now reached the Priory and Castle, both of which afibrd many 

 jwiuls of interest to the antiquarian. The morning s ramble closed with an 



