voi.. XIX. (2) TIIR STORY OF OPIllOLEPIS DAMESfl 
127 
It appears tliat a Brittle-star' of the same family, if not of the same 
species, has been found in a similar bed in Leicestershire by the Rev. P. Brodie, 
author of a “ Flistory of Fossil In.sects,” etc. 
II. 
[From The Aniateur, vol. i, 1875, No. 3, p. 35.] 
DISCOVERY OF A BRITTLE-STAR IN THE RH.ETIC 
BEDS AT WESTBURY-ON-SEVERN. 
The Members of the Gloucester School of Science Philosophical Society 
made their first excursion of the season during the recent Easter Holidays 
to the Garden Cliff. Westbury, when a discovery of some importance to 
local geologists was made. 
While examining the black shales, Mr J. Sawyer picked up a slab con- 
taining radial markings, which presented an appearance unknown to him. 
It was shown to Mr George Embrey, who at once pronounced it to be a 
Brittle -star {Opkiiim) and expressed the opinion that it was the first which 
had been found in these beds. Several other specimens were found and 
afterwards submitted to MrW. C. Lucy and Dr. Wright ; both these gentlemen 
confirmed the view taken by Mr Embrey as to their being the first which 
had been discovered here. Dr. Wright stated that they were identical with 
specimens which he had received a few months previously from Hildesheim, 
near Hanover, where the Rhsetic beds are better developed than at West- 
bury. The name Ophiolepis Damesii had been previously given to these 
stars by Dr. Wright. Notices appeared in the Gloucester Journal and Nature, 
and an opinion was expressed that they were the first which had been found 
in this country. This brought a communication* from the Rev. P. B. Brodie, 
Vicar of Rowington, Warwickshire, to the following effect : — 
“ Knowing the Westbury sections, and Rhaetics there and elsewhere, 
I feel especially interested in your discovery of Radiates in the Cardium 
shales, which, though so well searched, never before yielded one of the 
Ophiura. But yours is not the first Echinodermata found in Rhaetic, 
for nearly a year ago one was found in Rhaetic near Leicester . . . 
“ I do not know if yours is the same as the Leice.ster Radiate, which 
[ have not yet seen . . . 
Although your Ophiura is not the first found, it detracts nothing 
from the value of it, and you are still the discoverer of the first specimens 
of this genus in Gloucestershire Rhaetics.” 
-\gain, on May 30th, the Rev. Mr Brodie writes, after having received 
three specimens : — 
“ I took the Ophiuras with me to Leicester last week, and, with 
.Mr W. Harrison, who discovered the first Radiata in British Rhaetics at 
Leicester, compared his with the one discovered by you, and neither of 
us can detect any difference, though T should not like to speak decisively 
on the point because his specimen is not so well preserved as yours . . . 
“ They are both about the same size, yours are better preserved, shale 
harder and specimens more numerous — for Mr Harrison only found two, 
and has never found another.” 
The section at Westbury has been visited again by several Members, 
and a few days since by Mr W. C. Lucy, together with Mr Embrey. when the 
exact position in which the Brittle-stars are found was made out. 
1 This w.-is evidently an error, as shown by Mr Brodie’s letter in following article.— G.E. 
2 Letter to George Embrey, 1874. 
K 
