BRODIE — GEOLOGY OE GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 



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specimens of which may still bo found on the spoil-banks of the 

 Midland Eailway, about a mile from the station, on the way to 

 Gloucester. The fourth band is designated the Cardinia-bed." This 

 shell (Cardinia), a very characteristic genus in the Lias, was formerly 

 confounded with Unio] and to this division the large C. Listeri 

 appears to be confined. All the above may be seen in the several 

 brick-pits around Cheltenham, and in the railway cuttings. The last 

 bed also appears in some brick-pits at Cleeve. Univalves are nowhere 

 very numerous ; but a fine species of Pleiwotomaria (P. Anglica,) is, in 

 places, not unfrequent ; and sometimes groups of minute univalves also 

 occur. Ammonites and Belemnites are generally very abundant, and a 

 beautiful species of E'autilus, (iY. striatus,) besides three species of 

 GryplicBa, the well-known G. incurva being the most frequent. Some 

 small Cidarides have been discovered, and an Astacus, tolerably perfect, 

 with remains of Pentacrinites, and a large specimen of Sejiia, with the 

 enclosed ink-bag. 



It is only in a few sections, here and there, that these argillaceous 

 bands can be traced ; but the order of succession has been carefully 

 determined, as well as their organic contents. In some of the ramifying 

 valleys between the hills round Cheltenham patches of Lower Lias may 

 be observed, but the Yale of Gloucester, and the slopes leading to it, are 

 undoubtedly the best places for studying the lower portion of this 

 deposit. The prevailing fossils are marine shells, and but rarely traces 

 of fish or saurians. Indeed, very few fish have been discovered in this 

 neighbourhood, which, in this respect, presents a striking contrast to 

 the equivalent beds at Lyme, in Dorsetshire, where layers of shale are 

 literally made up of entire and broken specimens of that class. Below 

 these clays we have a succession of rubbly, white, and compact blue 

 limestones, alternating with dark shales, which are, more or less, 

 fossiliferous, and which are well marked by a very large species of 

 Plagiostoma, (P. gigcmteim.) Many fine specimens were formerly to be 

 procured from a quarry at Piff's Elm, between Cheltenham and 

 Tewkesbury. Associated with them are numerous shells of Cardinia 

 ovalis, Astarte lurida, and Terehratiila rimosa. "Whenever stone is 

 wanted in the plains of Gloucester, this limestone series-'' is exposed ; 



This division is well displayed at Frethevne Cliff, near NeAvrxham (a station on 

 tlic Great Western R,ailway between Gloucester and CliepstoTv) ; and the student 

 should by all means go there, as it affords a better raid thicker section than can 



