NATURAL HISTORY. 
109 
coal formations at Dudley on the north, at Shatter- 
ford, near Kidderminster, on the west, and at Abber- 
ley on the south-west, between which points the 
small patches of coal just adverted to at the Lickey, 
though apparently so minute, form a valuable con- 
necting link. 
It now only remains to trace the extent of the lias 
formation in Worcestershire, its connection with 
the inferior beds of the red marl, and the oolitic 
escarpments which repose upon it. The lias occu- 
pies nearly the whole of the Vale of Evesham, and 
extends from 200 to 300 feet up the sides of Bredon 
and Broadway Hills.^ This formation consists of a 
series of black or blue shales, producing by exposure 
to the atmosphere a solid stiff clay. At the lower 
part of the formation beds of limestone occur from 
two to eight or ten inches thick, which produce 
excellent lime ; but when used as a building stone 
this limestone is apt to shiver with the frost. At 
Binton, near Bidford, and at Hasler, these beds are 
thin, smooth, of fine quality, and are used for flooring 
and other purposes. At Crowle, and Broughton 
Hacket, on the east side of Worcester, good limestone 
of this formation occurs abounding with shells, with 
alternating strata of argillaceous sandstone. 
The extent of the lias in this county will be best 
observed by a reference to the geological map ; but 
as it has not hitherto been correctly laid down, I 
shall avail myself of the use of Mr. Strickland's paper 
' At Bretforton it has been sunk into more than 300 feet in quest of coal, without 
being penetrated. 
