533 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



These are not confined, as in Gloucestershire and elsewhere, to one or two argil- 

 laceous layers, but are distributed throughout a succession, amounting to four or 

 five consecutive beds of the same Jithological character. The shales and limestones 

 also contain remains of saurians, fish, and Crustacea, some of which are very fine 

 and perfect, especially the splendid Plesiosaurus now in the Warwick Museum, a 

 beautiful Tetragonolepis pholidopliorus, and a large Eryon Barroviensis, Ammonites 

 and oysters are abundant, but few other shells. The limestones are extensively 

 used for paving and flooring, and are also made into hydraulic lime, for which 

 purpose extensive works have been erected at Wilincote by Messrs Greaves and 

 Kirsham, to whom the quarries belong. The bottom bed is a much harder stratum, 

 called the "tirestone,'' which easily takes a polish, and is therefore employed for 

 chimney-pieces and other ornamental purposes. Some interesting fossils have 

 lately been found by Mr. Fisher Tomes, one of the members, in a bed below the 

 firestone, at Binton, consisting of Cidaris and spines, Bryozoa, and a few small 

 corals. Mr. Kirshaw also discovered a new species of Teleosaurus (a gemis not 

 previously noticed so low down) in the limestones at Wilmcote. These facts were 

 noticed with much interest by the members present, and some little discussion 

 took place as to the mode of deposition of the alternating shales and limestones, 

 and from whence they were derived. Mr. Brodie drew the attention of the club to 

 the character and perfection of the insect- remains, and mentioned that the dis- 

 trict was affected by faults, which were far more numerous than had been generally 

 supposed. 



The fourth and last meeting was held at Harbury, on the 7th of September, where 

 a small but zealous body of geologists assembled at 10.80, and, after searching the 

 spoil banks on the side of the railway-cutting, they examined in detail the fine 

 and instructive section of Lias there exposed. This was traced upwards from the 

 red marl to the higher beds visible, which form a series of nodular limestones and 

 shales containing Ostrea and Lima gigantea, which have their representatives in 

 Gloucestershire and other places where the Lias appears The lowest part of the 

 section is somcAvhat obscured, but certain sandstones were noticed which were 

 supposed to belong to the " bone-bed " series already recognized at Knowle. Some 

 specimens of Posidonia (Esth-eria) were picked up, a species occurring in the lowest 

 division of the Lias in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, but the actual position 

 in situ here could not be determined. A very conspicuous stratum, which may be 

 traced for some distance along the line at the bottom, crops out at the surface 

 between Harbury and Stockton, where it is quarried, and in the one locally termed 

 White Lias. The surface is water-worn, and the rock contains a considerable 

 quantity of iron, which gives it a tinge of red rather than white, which here, at all 

 events, is not a very appropriate term, although, in places where there is less ferru- 

 ginous matter itisreally a white limestone. There were found in it very few fossils, 

 except oysters, which are abundant, some spines of Cidaris, fragments of univalves, 

 and the cast of a small lamellated coral. The superior strata above this (White 

 Lias) consist of an alternation of blue shales and limestones, which abound in fossils. 

 One band contains a massof well-markedFucoids; another isloaded with Ammonites 

 and Nautili, some large specimens of Lima antiquafa, 3Iodiola, Avicula, Pinna, 

 &c. ; another is characterized by Terebratula rirnosa, and towards the top of the 

 section are certain nodular limestones, full of Lima gigantea, Ostrea, &c. This 

 is best seen a little beyond at Messrs. Greaves and Kirshaw's quarry. With the 

 exception of the White Lias, the rest of the section is identical with this portion 

 of the series in Gloucestershire, though there are fewer beds of clay and shale in 

 Warwickshire. In the former county, these are rarely seen in any one consecutive 

 section, and therefore the one at Harbury presents many points of interest, and 

 is well worthy of a visit. 



The party adjourned to Leamington to dinner, after which Mr. Johnson read a 

 short paper on certain facts in natural history, observed by him in the parish in 

 which he resides. This meeting brought a most instructive and agreeable season 

 to a close. The winter meeting is fixed for January in the coming year. 



