532 
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 lithological 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 phoHdophorm, 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 
Kirsliam, to whom the riuarries belong. The bottom bed is a much harder stratum, 
called the " firestone,'' 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 genus 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. Biodie 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 10.30, 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, gigantp.n, which have their representatives in 
Gloucestershire and other places where the Lias appears The lowest part of the 
section is somewhat obscured, but certain sandstones were noticed which were 
supposed to belong to the " bone-bed " series already recognized at Knowle. Some 
specimens of Posidonia (Edheria) 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 sma'l 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-marked Fucoids; another isloaded with Ammonites 
and Nautili, some large specimens of Li7na antiquata, Modiola, Avicula, Pinna, 
&c. ; another is characterized by Terehrahda rimosa, 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 Rirsbaw'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 con.secutive 
section, and therefore the oue at Harbury presents many points of interest, and 
is well worthy of a visit. 
The piirty adjourned to Leamington to dinner, after which Mr. Johnson rend a 
short paper on certain facts in iiatural 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. 
