GEOtOGY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 
231 
Gretton, masses of a small species ofCiJaris, with attached spines, occur. 
Traversing this shale is a comparatively thin band of nodular lime- 
stone, ■white on the upper and under surfaces, and blue in the centre, 
very hard when first dug out, but, when •weathered, splitting into thin 
slaty masses, which are sometimes crowded with minute univalve 
shells. Eut the most interesting organic remains which have 
been found in it are those of fish and insects, both of which are 
sometimes met M'ith nearly entire. Amongst the former the little 
Leptolcph conceittricus is the most common, although other genera 
and species have been found. Amongst the latter the fine and unique 
dragon-fly, JEshia Brodiei,"^" is the most worthy of notice. Detached 
wings of Libellulidre, and wings and bodies of insects of other families 
and orders, are associated with the more common kinds, but rarely 
found entire, notwithstanding the ncrvurcs of the wings are often 
retained with wonderful delicacy on the stone ; and it may well 
excite our surprise that such fragile creatures as insects should be 
preserved at all. The land from whence they were carried out to sea, 
or over which they winged their flight, was probably not far distant; 
and the adjacent JIalvcrns, and the Silurian country on the west, 
apparently formed the coast on which the Lias was deposited. A fe\y 
imperfect fragments of plants are the only other terrestrial relies 
as yet detected ; but so little of the upper Lias is exposed in 
Gloucestershire, that no fair estimate can be given of the co temporary 
forms of animal life which may have inhabited the land at that epoch. 
Much more might be said about these insects, but as we hope, in a 
future communication, to describe them more fully, wc shall defer the 
details until then. 
The internal shells of a species of cuttle-fish, one of the curious tribe 
of Cephalapods to which the fossil Ammonites and Bclemnitcs belong, 
are now and then found in tolerable perfection in this limestone. Con- 
nected with this horny pen is a singular apparatus termed the ink-bag, 
which, in the recent animal, is used as a means of defence against the 
attacks of its enemies. This organ sometimes occurs in such perfection 
in the extinct species that its contents may still be used as a pigment ; 
and we have seen a sketch of one of these fossil pens with 
its associated ink-bag, drawn by our friend Professor Buckman with 
This is described and figured in the Quart. Journ. Geo. Soc. 1848, Vol. V., 
pi. 2, p. 35. R.P.B. 
