The Forest of Wyre and the Titterstone Clee Hill Coal Fields

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XXVII.—The Forest of Wyre and the Titterstone Clee Hill Coal Fields. Introduction. By Dr R. Kidston, F.R.S. Part I: The Geology of the Forest of Wyre Coal Field. By T. C. Cantrill, B.Sc, F.G.S.—The Fossil Plants of the Forest of Wyre Coal Field. By Dr R. Kidston. Part II: The Geology of the Titterstone Clee Hill Coal Field. By E. E. L. Dixon, B.Sc, F.G.S.—The Fossil Plants of the Titterstone Clee Hill Coal Field. By Dr R. Kidston. With an Appendix on The Fossil Plants collected from the Core of the Claverley Trial Boring. By Dr R. Kidston. (With Five Plates and Six Text-figures.)

(Read June 28, 1915. MS. received January 24, 1916. Issued separately March 9, 1917.)

INTRODUCTION. The investigations recorded in this communication were begun some years ago, and arose chiefly as the result of two papers published on the Geology of the Forest of Wyre by Mr T. C. CANTRILL, B.SC* In the latter paper Mr CANTRILL, after carefully summarising all the available data respecting the age of the so-called " Permian " of the Forest of Wyre (= Enville), arrives at the following conclusions :— I. That these " Permian" rocks are of the same age as those at Hamstead in South Staffordshire. II. That the Hamstead red rocks were shown by their flora to be Upper Coal Measures. He therefore concludes that " the evidence of the fossil flora and the Spirorbis- limestones and coal-seams in South Staffordshire, together with that of the Spirorbis-limestone and coals in the Wyre Forest district, leads us to regard the associated red rocks as Upper Coal Measures. . . ." t In his paper entitled "A Contribution to the Geology of the Wyre Forest Coal- field, etc.," he further says on p. 16: "The Wyre Forest Coalfield contains two sets of Coal Measures— " A younger [grey] group, probably of Upper Coal Measure age. " An older [grey] group, probably of Middle Coal Measure age." * "A Contribution to the Geology of the Wyre Forest Coalfield, and of the Surrounding District," 8vo, Kidder- minster, 1895 ; "On the Occurrence of Spirorbis-Limestone and Thin Coals in the so-called Permian Rocks of Wyre Forest; with Considerations as to the Systematic Position of the ' Permians' of Salopian Type," Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc, vol. li, p. 528, 1895. + Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc, vol. li, p. 547. TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 142 1000 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

On p. 19 of the same paper, under the heading of "Upper Coal Measures," he further states :— " These form almost the whole surface of the coalfield except the districts indicated. They consist of yellow, buff, and orange sandstones, shales and marls, of great similarity to the upper parts of the Halesowen Sandstones of South Stafford- shire. They contain many thin pyritous coals and several poor ironstones. The two most important and constant coals are the Brock Hall seam and the Main Sulphur seam, between which lies the Spirorbis Limestone." Since these remarks were written, now twenty years ago, much has been done to elucidate the geology of these so-called " Upper Coal Measures." When writing my paper on the Fossil Flora of the Potteries Coal Field in 1891, I referred all the " Red Measures " which lay above the Spirorbis limestone that occurs 12 yards above the Bassey Mine ironstone to the Upper Coal Measures,* and these, I understand, are the same series of rocks to which Mr CANTRILL referred his " Upper Coal Measures " of the Wyre Forest. It was only through subsequent study of the fossil plants of these so-called Upper Coal Measures that it was seen that much of this series of rocks must be regarded as passage-beds between the true Upper Coal Measures (= Radstockian Series) and the Middle Coal Measures (= Westphalian Series), and for these the name of Transition Series was proposed.! The lowest of the beds that were classed by the Geological Survey as Permian, and referred by Mr CANTRILL to the Upper Coal Measures, have now been identified with the Keele Group, and belong to the true Upper Coal Measures or Radstochian Series.,\ When the name " Transition Series " was proposed for these passage-beds, the occurrence of this series in the Potteries Coal Field was pointed out; but up till that time they had yielded very few fossil plants, and in the absence of this guidance I failed to discover the important place they held in North Staffordshire, and selected as my type areas for the Transition Series the Lower Pennant Rocks of the South Wales Coal Field and the New Rock and Vobster Groups of the Somerset Coal Field. It is, however, to Dr WALCOT GIBSON § that we are indebted for our intimate knowledge of the Transition Series as developed in North Staffordshire, and of the three groups of which it is. composed. These are, in descending order :— I. Newcastle-under-Lyme Group. II. Etruria Marl Group. III. Black Band Group.

* Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xxxvi, p. 63, 1891. See especially pp. 65 and 68. t Vroe. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edin., vol. xii, p. 228. 1894. I See Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc, vol. lxi, 1905, p. 320. § Memoirs of the Geological Survey of England and Wales: The Geology of the North Staffordshire Coalfields, 1905, p. 51. FOEEST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE GLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1001

The overlying Keele Group, as already mentioned, I refer to the true Upper Coal Measures ( = Radstockian Series), of which it is the basal part. At a later date, the name Staffordian Series was substituted for the earlier term "Transition Series" which had been applied to these rocks.* This alteration in nomenclature was suggested chiefly from two considerations : firstly, that the term "Transition Formation" had been used for rocks of Lower Carboniferous or Culm age, and, though in that sense the term seems to be now out of use, its employment might lead to confusion ; t and secondly, as the series is so well represented in Staffordshire, and has been so fully described in the northern portion of that county by Dr GIBSON, it was more appropriate to name it after the area where it had been most fully worked out and could be best studied. It was with these rocks, then, which we now call Staffordian Series, that CANTRILL correlated the rocks he described in the Forest of Wyre under the name of " Upper Coal Measures." This correlation holds good to-day, if we remember that the Keele Group, also present in the Wyre Forest, is retained in the Upper Coal Measures. It will also be seen that CANTRILL was right in referring the Lower Coal Group to the Middle Coal Measures (= Westphalian Series). The present investigations were instituted with the object of determining which groups of the Staffordian Series are present in the Wyre Forest Coal Field, and to ascertain if the Keele Group could be shown by fossil evidence to be present in the area. Though the latter of these questions we have not been able to solve on palseontological grounds, some advance has been made in the elucidation of the other points, as well as in adding to our knowledge of the fossil flora of British Carbon- iferous rocks.

PART I. THE GEOLOGY OF THE FOREST OF WYRE COAL FIELD. In ordinary circumstances it would not be necessary, in what is mainly a palaeo- botanical paper, to enter into a detailed geological description of the district. But as the Wyre Forest Coal Field, though mapped on the one-inch scale by the Geological Survey over fifty years ago, has not been described in any official memoir, it has been thought advisable to lay before the student a brief account of the stratigraphical sequence and geographical distribution of its various Carboniferous divisiens. The reader will thus more readily appreciate the problems that -still await solution. The Forest of Wyre Coal Field \ commences at Bridgnorth, on the Severn, in * Quart. Journ. Oeol. Soc, vol. lxi, p. 320, 1905. t See GOPPERT, Floram fossilem Formationis Transitionis = Die fossile Flora des l/bergangsgebirges, Breslau, 1852. + The coal field is included in the Old Series One-Inch Geological Maps, Sheets 61 S.E. (1852-55, revised 1868) and»55 N.E. (1853-55), and in the New Series One-Inch Ordnance Maps, Sheets 167 and 182. It covers parts of Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire. 1002 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Shropshire, where the Coalbrookdale Coal Field reaches its southern limit. There is no complete break between the two, but the outcrop of the Coal Measures is reduced to a narrow band between the Old Red Sandstone on the west and the so-called Permian rocks on the east. From Bridgnorth the Coal Field extends southward, broadening out till it reaches the latitude of Bewdley, in Worcestershire, beyond which it is cut off on the south by the emergence of the Lower Old Red Sandstone of Heightington. In the south-west a narrow neck of Coal Measures, half a mile broad, connects this main northern area with a peninsular portion, which extends in a south-eastward direction from Bayton as far as the Silurian ridges of the Abberley Hills. To these two portions must be added the anticlinal tract of Trimpley, where a broad fold of the Old Red Sandstone is bounded on each side by a narrow strip of Coal Measures. These strips run from near Bewdley in a north eastward direction for about 5 miles, and unite in the neighbourhood of Compton, where the Coal Measures of the Forest of Wyre are separated from those of South Staffordshire by a distance of only 5^ miles. The broad outlines of the geological structure are shown on the accompanying sketch-map (text-fig, l), which is based on that of the Geological Survey. The outcrops of the coals and Spirorbis-limestone have been taken partly from that authority and partly from the maps published by Mr DANIEL JONES in 1894 and by myself in 1895. As the base of the Sulphur Coal Group has not yet been defined, the line on the map has been taken at or not far below the Main Sulphur Coal. From Billingsley to Kingswood and thence to Button Oak the line is purely diagrammatic, and must remain so till the district is properly surveyed. On the west and south the Coal Field is bounded by the Lower Old Red Sandstone, on which the Coal Measures rest unconformably. The Carboniferous Limestone is absent. The so-called Millstone Grit, shown on the Geological Survey map at one spot only, near Bagginswood, is believed by Mr E. E. L. DIXON to be merely a white sandstone in the Coal Measures. Eastward, the Coal Measures pass under, or are faulted against, various subdivisions of the Trias. Between the Triassic rocks on the east and the Old Red Sandstone on the west the following descending sequence has been established :— " Permian " and Keele Beds. Sulphur Coal Group, with pyritous coals, and Spirorbis-limestone. The chief seams are the Brock Hall and the Main Sulphur Coals. ! Sweet Coal Group, with non-pyritous ("sweet") coals and good ironstones. At the present time the sweet coals are being raised in the Highley region at the Billingsley, Kinlet, and Highley Collieries. In the Mamble region the sulphur coals are worked at three or four collieries between Bayton and Abberley. In the past the coals of both groups have been worked over most of the Coal Field, but generally in a small way, and not far from their outcrops. Spirarbis Limestone SWEET COAL GROUP • • . ' YVcstphalian with coals

'•'.•• IGNEOUS PRECOAL-MEASURE ROCKS MILES. xe.e. TEXT-FIG. 1.—Geological sketch-map of the Wyre Forest Coalfield. 1004 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. B. L. DIXON.

According to memoranda made by Mr DANIEL JONES, the Main Sulphur Coal was being worked in 1869 at the Harpsford or Harpswood Colliery, at the northern end of the Deuxhill outlier, where the seam lies about 2 yards above the Old Red Sand- stone floor ; it is 4 feet 2 inches thick, and the Spirorbis-limestone lies 21 yards above it. In a deep pit near Eardington, on the main outcrop farther east, the coal was found to be 10 feet above the Old Red Sandstone, the Brock Hall Coal being 34 yards still higher. On Chelmarsh Common the latter coal was worked close to the farm from which it is named ; it is presumably the lower of the two

CHELMARSH BILLINGSLEY

Keele Beds RADSTOCKIAN

BrockHall Coal

SpirorbisLst. Main Sulphur Coot

.Sweet \ Coots \ \ \

O.R.S.

TEXT-FIG. 2.—Diagram showing succession at Chelmarsh and at Billingsley. upper seams shown on the Survey map; below it the Spirorbis-limestone crops out in Borle Brook, while still lower the Main Sulphur Coal was proved, close above the Old Red Sandstone floor. It will thus be seen that, in this part of the coal field, the relationship of the Sulphur Coal Group to the Old Red Sandstone is that represented diagrammatically in the left-hand column of text-fig. 2. South of Billingsley, however, a new feature appears. At the Billingsley Engine Pit (a little west of the present Billingsley Colliery), the Main Sulphur Coal, instead of being underlain at once by the Old Red Sandstone, is underlain by 48 yards of clunches, rocks, binds, and ironstones, below which follow several sweet coals. The conditions here, then, are those shown in the right-hand column of the diagram (text-fig. 2). These sweet coals crop out and have been worked at Billingsley, Harcott, Bagginswood, and Baveney Wood. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1005

Still farther south, what is probably the Brock Hall Coal was worked at Earnwood and the Birch. The Main Sulphur Coal should crop farther west, somewhere in the position assigned to it upon the map (text-fig, l); but little or nothing is known of it till we reach Winwoods and Kingswood, where it was worked at a depth of about 25 yards. The Spirorbis-limestone must have been passed -g through in the shafts, as pieces of the stone are to be seen ;§ at the pit-mouths. The seams worked at Baveney Wood were sweet coals ; and it is significant that they are said to have shown signs of having deteriorated in number and thickness as compared with their development at Harcott and Billingsley. A coal cut through by the Birmingham aqueduct at Silligrove was said to be a sweet coal, and Mr DANIEL JONES noted a coal- crop, which he believed to belong to the Sweet Coal Measures, in a cutting on the Tenbury railway opposite Furnace Mill, -o These outcrops may be a southerly extension of the Sweet I Coals of Baveney Wood. Still farther south, in the Dowles .$ Valley region, no such sweet coals are known ; and their absence may be due to their having become unworkable or to their having thinned out completely, as is suggested in 4 °|ll Vx\ the diagram forming text-fig. 3. \ J -111 III East of Winwoods and Kingswood, the Main Sulphur Coal was worked below the Spirorbis-limestone by pits at Button Oak, from which point its outcrop is apparently shifted northward by a fault, and what is believed to be this coal •§ is exposed in a cutting on the Severn Valley railway a few ^ ~~ yards south of Arley Station. It then crosses the Severn ^ - j ^/y Q and runs through Eymore Wood to Shatterford, the outcrop being marked by numerous old pits. At Shatterford it 1* was worked at a depth of 176 yards; but a deep sinking, -§ "' carried down below the sulphur coals in 1850-60, though 5 it proved a great thickness of measures, failed to prove any sweet coals worth getting. It was probably the Main Sulphur Coal that was worked in pits and drifts east of Brettels. Beyond this point nothing is known of it; but it presumably turns round the end of the Trimpley anticline and is then cut off by the faulted margin of the o Keele Beds. In the Mamble region the Main Sulphur Coal, which i- __. appears to be represented by two seams separated by about *"* 1006 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

7 yards of clod, has been shown on the Survey map ; above it the Spirorbis-limestone was detected at many points by Mr DANIEL JONES.* MURCHISON in 1839 was aware that in the Coalbrookdale Coal Field two groups of Coal Measures are present: a newer group, containing a thin band of Spirorbis-limestone and several sulphur coals similar to those of the Shrewsbury and Lebotwood Coal Fields, and an older group, in which the chief coal-seams and ironstones are contained ; but he appears to have inferred that in the Forest of Wyre Coal Field only the newer group is represented. It has long been known that this inference was incorrect. The researches of Mr DANIEL JONES,t begun in 1868 in connection with the first Royal Commission on Coal Supplies, materially advanced our knowledge. He correlated the sweet coal-seams with those of the Clee Hills, Coalbrookdale, and South Staffordshire, and traced throughout most of the district the Spirorbis-limestone, known to be associated with the sulphur coals in the Shrewsbury, Lebotwood, and Coalbrookdale Coal Fields. He was thus enabled to indicate the broad geographical distribution of the Sulphur Coal Group and Sweet Coal Group respectively, and established the fact that their distribution is anomalous. In the north, at Chelmarsh, and generally from Bridgnorth to Billingsley, the Sulphur Coal Group, as we have seen (p. 1004), rests directly on the Old Red Sandstone. This is the. case in the south-west also, from Bayton to Abberley. But in the intermediate district, from Billingsley to Baveney Wood, it is the Sweet Coal Group that rests directly on the Old Red Sandstone. To explain this anomaly, Mr JONES applied the theory of a great wash-out or denudation of Coal Measure date, basing this view on MARCUS SCOTT'S conclusion that in Coalbrookdale the Sulphur Coal Group is unconformable to the Sweet Coal Group, the plane of unconformity or wash-out being known as the Symon Fault. On this hypothesis, the Wyre Forest district, after the formation of the Sweet Coal Group, was subjected to an extensive denudation, with the result that the Sweet Coal area was reduced to a small isolated patch or outlier, which owed its preservation to the protection afforded by the basaltic intrusion of Kinlet. Over this outlier of Sweet Coal Measures the Sulphur Coal Measures were then laid down unconformably. The outcrop of the Sweet Coal Group between Billingsley and Baveney Wood was thus regarded as the exposed western margin of this outlier, the rest of the outlier being buried under the Sulphur Coal Group; though it was known to extend eastward as far at least as Highley, where the sweet coals had been worked for some years at a considerable depth vertically below the sulphur coals. That this supposed outlier does not extend as far south as the Dowles Valley was thought to be established by the fact that a series of deep bore-holes there had proved a great thickness of Coal Measures, but had one and all failed to prove work-

* Trans. Manch. Geol. Soc., vol. x (1870-71), p. 37. t Geol. Mag., 1871, pp. 200-208, 363-371 ; ibid., 1873, pp. 138, 348. Colliery Guardian, vol. xxii (July-Dec. 1871), pp. 580, 605, 633, 659. Trans. Fed. Inst. Min. Eng., vol. vii (1893-4), pp. 287-301, 577-580 ; vol. viii (1894-5), pp. 356-360. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1007 able coals. The Dowles Valley Measures were therefore believed to be an abnormally thickened lower part of the Sulphur Coal Group, directly overlying the Old Red Sandstone. In an eastward direction also, as no workable coals were found in the group of measures underlying the Sulphur Coals in the deep sinking at Shatterford, it was concluded that there again the lower beds of the Sulphur Coal Group are abnormally thickened, and rest directly on the pre-Carboniferous floor. If the Sweet Coal Group had ever been deposited in the Dowles Valley and Shatterford regions, the denudation of the Symon Fault had completely removed it before the Sulphur Coal Group was formed. But, in 1895, Dr KIDSTON, on examining the plant-remains collected by myself from the surface-beds in the Trimpley area, showed that there the lowest Coal Measures directly overlying the Old Red Sandstone, instead of being of " Upper," are of Middle Coal Measure age. Further, a number of plant-remains from exposures at Cooper's Mill, in the Dowles Valley, on a horizon probably not more than 200 or 300 feet below the Main Sulphur Coal of Button Oak and Kingswood, also proved to be of Middle Coal Measure age. I was thus led to express the opinion that the Sweet Coal Group is of Middle Coal Measure age, and corresponds to the productive measures of Coalbrookdale and South Staffordshire, and that the Sulphur Coal Group, with its pyritous coals and Spirorbis-limestone, is therefore of " Upper" Coal Measure age, i.e. equivalent to the barren measures that in South Staffordshire lie between the top of the productive measures and the base of the " Permian," and equivalent also to the Coal Measures of the Shrewsbury and Lebot- wood Coal Fields. I stated also* that the " Upper " Coal Measures of the Wyre Forest are " of great similarity to the upper parts of the Halesowen Sandstones of South Staffordshire." As to the relationship between the two groups of measures in the Wyre Forest district, I was at first disposed to accept the view that it is one of strong unconformity, as seemed to have been proved to be the case in Coalbrookdale by MARCUS SCOTT and Mr DANIEL JONES. But the discovery, based on the fossil evidence, that in the Dowles Valley and around the Trimpley anticline the Middle Coal Measures are not washed out, but are present in great thickness, led me subsequently to doubt this conclusion, and to regard the abnormal distribution of the two groups as due to overlap, accompanied perhaps by a slight unconformity. It seemed to follow that the Sweet Coal Group of the Highley region, instead of forming an isolated patch or outlier, restricted to the region lying north of the Dowles Valley and west of Trimpley, extended into these districts in force ; and I explained the absence of workable coals as due to the conditions having been unfavourable to the formation of the requisite beds of vegetable matter on account of the proximity of a land-mass to the south. In other words, the sweet coals worked at Harcott and Highley, if followed underground southward and south-eastward,

* "A Contribution to the Geology of the Wyre Forest Coalfield," 8vo, 1895, p. 19. See also "The Wyre Forest Coalfield," Colliery Guardian, vol. lixi, 1896, p. 351. TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 143 1008 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. D1XON.

would be found to deteriorate in quality and thickness, to become unworkable, and finally to die out altogether. This remains to be proved. But that the pre- Carboniferous floor did actually rise rapidly to the south and south-west is shown by the fact that in the Mamble region the Sulphur Coal Group rests directly on the Old Eed Sandstone, there being no evidence that the Sweet Coal Group was ever deposited (text-fig. 3). Certain other results followed from investigations in the type district of the " Salopian Permian " at Upper Arley, Highley, and Alveley. The discovery of a band of Spirorbis-limestone and a thin coal-seam between 200 and 300 feet above the base of these red rocks led me to advocate their inclusion in the Upper Coal Measures.* The almost complete absence of plant-remains was not a serious obstacle to this proposal, as the fossil flora collected from the same group of rocks in South Stafford- shire during the sinking of the Hamstead shafts had already led Dr KIDSTON to determine the same beds at Hamstead to be of Upper Coal Measure age. This view of the systematic affinities of the Lower Permian rocks of Salopian type has since been adopted by the officers of the Geological Survey, who found that the same beds in North Staffordshire are characterised by bands of $pm>r&*s-limestone, thin coals, and Carboniferous plant-remains; and under the name of Keele Series they are now included in the Upper Coal Measures. Since that date, now twenty years ago, few additions to our knowledge have been made. In 1901, while the aqueduct of the Birmingham Corporation Waterworks (Elan supply) was under construction across the Wyre Forest Coal Field, I was deputed to note the sections exposed along the pipe-trench. The result t showed that the Coal Measures, where crossed by the pipe-track, " appear to consist of two groups : a lower, of variegated marls with yellow and green sandstone . . . and a higher group of grey and yellow sandstones with thin pyritous coals and one or more bands of Spirorbis-limestone. The lower group has some likeness to the Old Hill Marls of South Staffordshire and the Etruria Marls of North Staffordshire ; while the higher, as seen at Winwoods and Kingswood, and again at Woodhouse Farm near Button Oak, may represent the Halesowen Sandstones of the former district and the New- castle-under-Lyme beds of the latter." It followed from this that the lower group, which rests directly on the Old Red Sandstone, if not the equivalent of the Etruria Marls, must be Middle Coal Measures that have assumed the barren condition and lithological peculiarities of the Etruria Marls. The plant-remains from the Cooper's Mill exposure in the Dowles Valley had, however, already shown that there at least the surface-beds are of Middle Coal Measure age. I felt, therefore, that of the two alternatives the second was the more probable, though I did not feel justified in putting this opinion into print, as to do so without further confirmation would have run counter to the experience of my colleagues in North Staffordshire, who had found

* Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. li (1895), p. 528 ; Colliery Guardian, vol. lxxiii, 1897, p. 581. . t Summary of Progress of the Geol. Survey for 1901, p. 63 (1902). FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS- 1009 that neither there nor anywhere else in the Midlands do red marls associated with espley rocks set in at so low a level in the Coal Measure sequence. A few years later my colleague Mr E. E. L. DIXON * found that in the Titterstone Clee Hill Coal Field, a few miles to the west, the ordinary productive measures, characterised by sweet coals and believed by Mr DANIEL JONES to belong to the same horizon as the Sweet Coal Group in Wyre Forest, contain " red clays and green sandstones of ' espley' type, at intervals from a few feet above the base upward." Mr DIXON, who extended his investigations into the western borders of the Wyre Forest Coal Field, leaned to the belief that near Kinlet the Sweet Coal Group underlies the Sulphur Coal Group without unconformity, and therefore corresponds to part of the Etruria Marls. This view was not, however, supported by the evidence of the fossil flora of the Clee Hill Coal Measures, which suggested to Dr KIDSTON a horizon lower than that of the Etruria Marls, nor by the presence of workable coals and ironstones, which nowhere else in the Midlands occur in the Etruria Marl Group. Meanwhile the attention of geologists and mining engineers was diverted from the visible coal field to the borderland of red rocks lying to the east, where an experimental bore-hole had been put down in 1903-1905 at Claverley, 5 miles east of Bridgnorth, to test the character of the ground between the Wyre Forest and South Staffordshire Coal Fields. The site lies a quarter of a mile east of Bulwardine .Farm, a mile south of the village of Claverley. The chief results of this experiment have been described by Dr WALCOT GIBSON ; t it will therefore be sufficient to give an abstract of the section (see Table, p. 1010). The Lower Permian Group yielded fossil plants of Upper Coal Measure species, by which Dr KIDSTON correlates the group with the Keele Beds of North Stafford- shire, i.e. the basal beds of the Eadstockian subdivision of the Upper Coal Measures (p. 1079). The occurrence of bands of Spirorbis-limestone forms another link by which these beds are attached to the Coal Measures and not to the true Permian. The Halesowen-Sandstone Group proved to be 364 feet thick, whereas, 6 miles to the south-west, at Highley Colliery, the shafts of which commence below the Keele Beds, the group appears to be at least 394 feet thick. In the boring the Halesowen sandstones contain two thin coals, separated by 109 feet of measures. These may possibly represent the Brock Hall and Main Sulphur coals; but the Spirorbis-limestone of Kingswood, which should come between them, was not found, though looked for. In this respect the boring agrees with the sections of the Highley Colliery and the Kinlet Colliery, in which no such limestone is recorded, though it cannot be said that it was absent. The Halesowen Sandstones in the boring yielded abundant plant-remains. Below the Halesowen Sandstones, 193 feet of alternating red clays and espley

* Rep. Brit. Assoc. for 1910, pp. 611-613(1911). . + Summary of Progress for 1904 (Mem. Geol. Surv.), pp. 150, 151 (1905); ibid, for 1905, pp. 172-174 (1906). Also Trans, InU. Min. Eng., vol. xlv (1912-13), pp. 30-48. 1010 •DR R. KIDSTON. MR T. C. CANTRILL. AND MR E. E. L. DIXON. rocks were met with. These beds, which yielded no fossils, Dr GIBSON names the Brick-Clay or Espley Group, and correlates on lithological grounds with the Etruria Marls of North Staffordshire. Below them follow the ordinary grey measures, with coals and ironstones of the usual type, which yielded abundant fossil plants of Middle Coal Measure (Westphalian) species, and contain scarcely any of the red and

Claverley Bore-hole.

Thickness. Depth.

ft. in. ft. in. Upper " Permian " Group ...... 185 6 185 6 Middle "•Permian" Group 286 8 472 2 Lower " Permian "Group = Keele Beds (768 ft.) :— Red and mottled marl and red and lavender-coloured sandstones, with plant-remains; bands of Spirorbis-lime&tone at 488J ft., 775 ft., and 972 ft. No coals recorded ...... 768 0 1240 2 Halesowen Sandstones = Newcastle Group (364 ft.) :— Grey and blue shale and sandstone . . 46 0 1286 2 Coal 3 1286 5 Blue shale and grey sandstone ...... 109 0 1395 5 Coal, friable . . . . 3 1395 8 Grey and blue shale and sandstone, with plant-remains 208 6 1604 2 Brick-Clay or Espley Group (193 ft.) :— Chocolate-red and variegated hard marls, with thick beds of green grit and breccia ("espley " rock) 193 0 1797 2 Productive Measures (393 ft. 4 in.):— Grey, dark-grey, and black shale, with 1 ft. of variegated marl; Lingula at 1811 ft. 8 in. . 31 6 1828 8 Coal 2 1828 10 Grey and black shale, fireclay, sandstone, and some ironstone, with 15 ft. of variegated marls ...... 79 4 1908 2 Coal 6 1908 8 Dark shale, and fireclay with ironstone . . . . 28 6 1937 2 Olivine dolerite ...... 23 0 1960 2 Grey sandy shale, sandstone, and ironstone ..... 77 0 2037 2 Coal, friable, dirty ...... 4 2037 6 Black shale . . . . .' . 7 0 2044 6 Coal, friable, dirty . . . 1 0 2045 6 Fireclay, ironstone, black shale, and small layer of coal 11 0 2056 6 Hard fireclay with ironstone, marl, shale, sandstone with ironstone, and fine streaks of coal ...... 27 0 2083 6 Marl (part mottled), 8 ft.; sandstones, grey shales, marls, and fire- clays ; 12 ft. 6 in. of fireclay at bottom ..... 107 0 2190 6 Silurian (44 ft. 6 in.):— Hard grey rock with fossil shells (Atrypa reticularis, etc.) . 44 6 2235 0 variegated marls, and none of the espley rocks, characteristic of the overlying group. The small thickness of productive measures (393 feet) as compared with the southern end of the neighbouring South Staffordshire coal field (500-600 feet), and the apparent absence of thick and workable coals, may be due to the bore-hole having pitched upon a local shoal or land-tract that remained unsubmerged till late in Middle Coal Measure time—too late, in fact, for the formation of the most valuable of the South Staffordshire seams. Other explanations may, however, be offered. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1011

If Dr KIDSTON is correct in his inference (p. 1081) that the Lower Coal Measures (Lanarkian) are present, the whole of the measures below the Brick-Clay or Espley Group (Etruria Marls) may be abnormally thin, and the coals unworkable or absent through conditions being unfavourable. It is remarkable that the lowest Coal Measures show no signs of shore-conditions, and it is possible that their junction with the Silurian is a fault. But in spite of this absence of workable seams, we have at Claverley the typical South Staffordshire sequence, in which red clays and espley rocks form a well-marked group (the Etruria Marls) intermediate in position between the productive measures and the Halesowen Sandstones. But in the Wyre Forest district the lithological conditions are quite otherwise. At Highley, red beds recur time after time as the colliery-section is followed for 394 feet below what is regarded as the Main Sulphur Coal.. At Shatterford, red beds are still more abundant. Along the course of the Birmingham aqueduct red clays and green sandstones are conspicuous at the surface down to the Old Red Sandstone floor; while farther west, at the Titterstone Clee Hill, Mr DIXON finds that similar rocks are interbedded among the coal-seams themselves. It appears, then, that the Claverley boring, while confirming the Upper Coal Measure age of the Lower Group of the local Permian rocks, and supporting the view that the Sulphur Coal Group represents the Halesowen Sandstones, contributed little towards the settlement of the age (l) of the Sweet Coal Group of Wyre Forest, and (2) of the barren measures lying between the Sulphur Coals and the Sweet Coals. Matters stood thus till 1914, when Dr E. A. NEWELL ARBER,* in a paper in which the work of previous observers is reviewed in full, brought forward a number of fresh facts and conclusions, based on his own study of the fossil flora of the Wyre Forest Coal Measures. The more important of Dr ARBER'S conclusions are the following:— 1. The dominant type of rock of both the Sweet Coal and the Sulphur Coal Series is a coloured shale or clay—chocolate, red, green, or mottled. Espley rocks occur in both series. The rocks immediately associated with the coals themselves are of the usual grey colours (op. cit., pp. 374-5, 431). 2. The fossil flora associated with the sweet coal-seams worked in the Highley district (at Billingsley, Highley, and Kinlet Collieries) is a Middle Coal Measure flora (op. cit, pp. 407-8). 3. The unproductive measures of the Dowles Valley belong to the Middle Coal Measures down to 886 feet from the surface in a boring known as the Alton boring (op. cit., pp. 408-9). 4. The Coal Measure beds in the Claverley boring below 1800 feet are Middle Coal Measures (op. cit., p. 409).

* " On the Fossil Floras of the Wyre Forest, with Special Reference to the Geology of the Coalfield and its Relationships to the Neighbouring Coal Measure Areas," Phil. Trans. Boy. Soc. Lond., series B, vol. cciv, pp. 336- 445 (1914). 1012 DR E. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. B. L. DIXON.

5. The flora of the Sulphur Coal Series of Mamble (and, inferentially, that of the Highley region) is a Transition [i.e. Staftbrdian] flora (op. cit., pp. 408-10). 6. The Sulphur Coal Series is unconformable to the Sweet Coal Series in the Highley region (op. cit., pp. 374, 423, 431). 7. The Sweet Coal Series of Wyre Forest is the equivalent of the Productive Series of South Staffordshire and Warwickshire (op. cit., p. 428). 8. The Sulphur Coal Series of Wyre Forest belongs to the same horizon as the Red Clay Group (=Btruria Marls) of South Staffordshire, and may be the actual representative of that very series (op. cit, p. 429).. Dr ARBER is not satisfied that the Halesowen Sandstones are present in the Wyre Forest Coal Field (op. cit., p. 429). 9. The Claverley section resembles that of Wyre Forest rather than that of South Staffordshire (op. cit., p. 429). 10. Dr ARBER suggests (op. cit., p. 430) that the coals met with in the Claverley boring are probably the same seams as were found in the lower part of the Shatterford pit, " at the base of the Middle Coal Measures," and that the workable coals of Highley lie near the top of the Middle Measures and are perhaps equivalent to the Upper Coal Series of Shatterford. 11. The Coalbrookdale-Wyre Forest area consists of four distinct and isolated Coal Fields (op. cit., pp. 423, 432), plus a fifth (?) at Claverley (p. 431) and a sixth (?) at the Clee Hills (p. 436). The four distinct and isolated Coal Fields postulated by Dr ARBER are (l) the Lower Series of Coalbrookdale; (2) the Sweet Coal Series of Highley, the Dowles Valley, and Shatterford; (3) the Upper Series of Coalbrookdale and the Sulphur Coal Series of the Highley region; (4) the Sulphur Coal Series of the Mamble region (pp. 432-3). Of these the first and second are of Middle Coal Measure age; the third and fourth are of Transition age (pp. 432-3). The first, the second, and the measures of the Titterstone Clee Hill were deposited in three essentially local hollows of the old Palaeozoic floor, which were presumably never connected with one another (p. 436). Folding, elevation, and denudation ensued, and in irregular hollows of the surface so produced, Dr ARBER'S third and fourth Coal Fields were laid down, unconformably to the beds below. The section at Claverley, not being closely comparable (according to Dr ARBER) with either Wyre Forest or South Staffordshire, may need a separate Coal Field to itself (p. 431).

With respect to these conclusions and deductions arrived at by Dr ARBER, the following remarks may be made :— 1. There is much to support the view that red clays and espley rocks are present throughout the whole series of the Wyre Forest Coal Measures, from the FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1013

bottom upward to the base of the "Permian" [ = Keele] Beds, and that such strata are not restricted, as elsewhere in the Midlands, to the Etruria Marls. But this suspicion will not be confirmed, or disproved, till the whole area has been mapped in detail. 2. This confirms the opinion of Mr DANIEL JONES, based on the correlation of the Sweet Coals of Wyre Forest with those of Coalbrookdale and South Stafford- shire. It also agrees with the conclusions arrived at by myself from Dr KIDSTON'S examination of the plant-remains collected in 1895. 3. This confirms Dr KIDSTON'S determination of the age of the plant-remains collected by myself in 1895 from the surface-beds exposed at Cooper's Mill, close by. 4. This agrees with the results arrived at by Drs GIBSON and KIDSTON, though the latter observer suspects the presence of Lanarkian Measures also (p. 1081). 5. To Dr ARBER alone belongs the credit of having been the first to identify the flora of the Sulphur Coal Group of Mamble as of Transition age. Dr KIDSTON, however, feels justified in going further, and refers the series in question to the Newcastle subdivision of the Staffordian (= Transition) Series (see above, p. 1000). 6. This conclusion—-that in the Highley region the Sulphur Coal Group is unconformable to the Sweet Coal Group—is of such theoretical and practical importance that it deserves more than a passing comment. We have already seen (pp. 1004, 1006) that the distribution of these two groups is anomalous. North and south of the Highley region it is the Sulphur Coal Group that rests upon the Old Red Sandstone floor; at Billingsley and Harcott, and thence to Baveney Wood, the Sweet Coal Group comes between. This can be explained either (l) as a case of simple overlap, unaccompanied by unconformity, or (2) as an instance of overstep, the 'Sulphur Coal Group spreading unconformably across the edges of the Sweet Coal Group. In 1895 I was of opinion that the latter was the explanation, as it seems to be in the Coalbrookdale field, if the views of MARCUS SCOTT and Mr DANIEL JONES are right. But the theo'ry has never been definitely proved in the case of Wyre Forest. Mr DANIEL JONES'S " outlier " theory involves a deep and wide-spread denudation of the Sweet Coal Measures prior to the deposition of the Sulphur Coal Group, in order to explain the disappearance of the Sweet Coals themselves somewhere between the Highley region and the Dowles Valley and Shatterford. But though the coals themselves are absent as workable seams, their associated Middle Measures, as shown by the fossil flora, are present in force. The proof of great denudation and unconformity must, therefore, be sought in other facts. Dr ARBER, comparing the thickness of certain barren measures that intervene between the{Main] Sulphur Coal and the SweetCoal seams in the Highley 1014 DK E. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

region, shows that these measures become progressively thinner from east to west, and thinks that this is best explained by assuming an unconformity. But the base of the Sulphur Coal Group has not yet been either defined or identified. When discussing the sections of the Billingsley Engine Pit and the Billingsley Pit (p. 372) Dr ARBER places it at the [Main] Sulphur Coal; but in the case of the Highley Pit (p. 373) he puts it 3 feet 4 inches below that seam, and in the Kinlet Pit (p. 373) at 193 feet below. If the Sulphur Coal Measures below the Sulphur Coal swell out (from north-east to south- west, by the way) from 40 inches at Highley to 193 feet at Kinlet, what difficulty is there in believing that a general thickening of all the measures between the Main Sulphur Coal and the Sweet Coals may have taken place, and that the varying distance between the two sets of coals is due to this cause alone ? Before any argument in favour of unconformity can be founded on such considerations, the base of the Sulphur Coal Group must first be defined and identified. An excellent opportunity of doing this was afforded by the sinking of the Kinlet Pits about 1893, when the fossil flora might have been collected, the Spirorbis-limestone identified, and signs of unconformity looked for. But nothing of the kind was attempted ; and little can now be hoped for till the whole district is mapped in detail and fossil plants collected from every available exposure. It will then perhaps be possible to determine the special lithological characters and distinctive fossils of the Sulphur Coal Group, to trace its base at the surface, and to ascertain its relationship to the Sweet Coal Group. It may even be possible to locate its base in some of the older shaft-records. 7. This is in agreement with previously expressed opinion. 8. Dr ARBER, while recognising that the Sulphur Coal Group of Wyre Forest belongs to the Transition (= Staffordian) Series, correlates it (op. cit., p. 429), not with the Halesowen Sandstones, but with the Red Clay Group [Etruria Marls], and remarks that, if the Halesowen Sandstones are present in Wyre Forest, they must be thin. On the contrary, it seems to me that to recognise in the Sulphur Coal Group the Halesowen Sandstones of South Staffordshire is far easier than to recognise the Etruria Marls. Unfortu- nately, the last-named subdivision of the Staffordian Series has nowhere yielded sufficient plant-remains to enable its palseobotanical horizon to be determined : in North Staffordshire it has been placed in the Staffordian, because it overlies the Black Band Group, which, on account of its Transition fauna, is placed in the Staffordian. If the Halesowen Sandstones are represented by the Sulphur Coal Group, the Etruria Marls ought to be looked for in the uppermost of the barren measures that intervene between the Sulphur Coal Group and the Sweet FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1015

Coals. That the thick series of red marls worked for blue bricks at Aldridge, Oldbury, and Old Hill in South Staffordshire is not present as such in the Wyre Forest district must be admitted. But the series may nevertheless be present in a more arenaceous form. What is needed to settle this question is a determination of the upper limit of the Westphalian (Middle Coal Measure) flora. If this flora extends upward to the base of the Sulphur Coal Group, it follows that either (l) the Sulphur Coal Group represents the Etruria Marls (as Dr ARBER seems to suggest) or the Etruria Marls plus the Halesowen Sandstones, or (2) the Sulphur Coal Group is unconformable to the Sweet Coal Group, and the Etruria Marls are absent through overlap or overstep. Toward the solution of this problem the so-called Alton No. 1 bore-hole has afforded no better help than the exposures at Cooper's Mill, close by, which have shown that the surface-beds are Middle Coal Measures. If any of the beds that intervene between the Cooper's Mill horizon and the Main Sulphur Coal at Kingswood ultimately prove to contain a Transition (Staffordian) flora, these beds may be the equivalents of the Etruria Marls. The Sulphur Coal Group with its . /SpaVorfrw-limestone would then fall naturally into place as the representative of the Halesowen Sandstones. 9. It is not easy to understand why Dr ARBER regards the absence at Claverley of workable coals and ironstones as inconsistent with the correlation of Claverley with South Staffordshire (pp. cit., p. 430), while admitting that the totally barren measures of the Dowles Valley are of the same Middle Coal Measure age as the Sweet Coal Series—rich in coals and ironstones— of Highley and the similarly productive measures of South Staffordshire (op. cit., p. 376). The statement (p. 430) that no plant-remains were obtained from the Halesowen Sandstones at Claverley is clearly an oversight. 10. The suggestion that the workable coals of Highley are equivalent to those Dr ARBER calls the upper coals at Shatterford is inconsistent with the fact that the latter are sulphur coals, and with the theory that they belong to the Sulphur Coal Group, though this theory needs testing by the evidence of the plants. 11. Dr ARBER'S demand for separate coal fields is unconvincing. The so-called separate coal fields appear to be in some cases separate basins of deposition, in others separate tectonic areas as determined by inter-Carboniferous or post-Carboniferous folding and denudation. Taking 1 and 2 together, while we may admit that at Bridgnorth the Middle Measures of Coalbrookdale are not continuous at their outcrop with the Middle or Sweet Coal Measures of the Highley region, no evidence is produced to show that the same want of connection holds good farther east, beneath the cover of Keele Beds and Trias. TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 144 1016 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Taking 3 and 4 together, where is the difficulty in supposing that the Sulphur Coal Group of Highley, which extends southward to the northern edge of the Dowles Valley at Kingswood, was once connected and continuous with the same group of Rock and Mamble, 2 miles to the south-west ? The erosion produced by the Dowles Brook itself is surely a sufficient cause of the present want of connection. . Again, it is not clear why a separate basin of deposition is required for Claverley because of its supposed lithological peculiarities, when Dr ARBER lays such stress on the impersistence of lithological types (op. cit., pp. 433-4). It appears to me that the gradual subsidence of a landlocked basin will adequately explain the phenomena. Near the land, so much coarse sediment was laid down in places that beds of conglomerate and coarse " espley" grits predominate, while elsewhere, or farther away, the usual types of Coal Measure deposits—carbonaceous clays, shales, and coal-seams—were spread out. Where the basin was shallowest, the sequence would be least complete. Some parts of the floor rose so far above others that they were not covered by any Coal Measure deposits till the Transition period, as in the Mamble region and at Chelmarsh, where, in each case, the Sulphur Coal Group, having overlapped or overstepped the Middle Measures, rests directly on the Old Red Sandstone floor. The Claverley boring seems to have entered one of these uprisings, for only 950 feet of Coal Measures were found to intervene between the base of the Keele Beds and the floor of Silurian rocks. Conversely, where the basin was deep the measures are much thicker, as in the Dowles Valley, where, in the so-called Alton boring, which commenced probably several hundred feet lower in the sequence than the Sulphur Coal Group of the Highley region, 1102 feet of Middle Measures alone were proved (op. cit., p. 376). At Shatterford there are probably at least 2000 feet of measures between the base of the Keele Beds and the Old Red Sandstone floor. With such variations in the depth of the basin of deposition, it is clear that overlap would result, and the necessity of assuming more than one basin is not very obvious. The lithological type of sediment would necessarily vary with the character and proximity of the coast. The coal- seams would be liable to thicken and thin, to disappear, and to deteriorate in quality ; and a normal series of carbonaceous shales, clods, and coal-seams such as we have in the Highley region might well pass horizontally in the direction of the shore into a series of red marls, green grits, and useless smuts like those of Shatterford and Claverley.

We have now to consider the bearing of the fossil plants collected from the Wyre Forest Coal Field by Messrs JOHN RHODES, JOHN PRINGLE, and ROBERT ECKFORD, FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE GLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1017 of the Geological Survey, in 1891, 1906, and 1914. Dr KIDSTON has examined these fossils and has enabled us further to elucidate the Coal Measure horizons present in the district, and to clear up certain doubtful points as regards the geographical distribution of the various subdivisions. Trimpley District.—On the southern margin of the Old Red Sandstone inlier of Trimpley, the plants from a locality 300 yards west of Biddings Barn, on the northern edge of North Wood, indicate that the beds are not lower than the Westphalian. As the beds in question are only a few yards distant from the Lower Old Red Sandstone which forms the floor on which the Coal Measures were deposited, we may conclude that here the lowest Coal Measures present are Westphalian, and that the Lower Coal Measures (Lanarkian Series) are absent. A little over half a mile farther south, the plants collected from a railway cutting 150 yards south-east of North wood House may be either Transition or Westphalian. The beds are much farther removed from the Old Red Sandstone inlier, and are therefore presumably much higher in the Coal Measure sequence than those of Riddings Barn ; but their exact position in the sequence is not determinable from the plants collected. SecMey Cliff.—On the western bank of the Severn, at Seckley Cottage, a mile south of Upper Arley, the Coal Measures form a cliff, at the foot of which a coal has been to some extent worked at the outcrop. This coal appears from stratigraphical considerations to lie several hundred feet lower in the sequence than the Spirorbis-limestone and the Main Sulphur Coal formerly worked at Button Oak, on the high ground half a mile to the south-west. Plants collected from the cliff and old spoil-banks show that the beds belong to the Westphalian Series, and thus pertain to the Sweet Coal Group. Dowles Valley.—In the Dowles Valley, several exposures near Cooper's Mill have yielded a further good assemblage of plants which Dr KIDSTON refers to a horizon high in the Westphalian Series. This determination confirms the deduction made on the evidence of the plants collected in 1895, and agrees with Dr ARBER'S conclusion that the whole of the beds penetrated by the Alton No. 1 bore-hole, close by, are referable to the Sweet Coal Group. Probably no great thickness of strata intervenes between the Cooper's Mill beds and the Main Sulphur Coal formerly worked at Button Oak. In these intervening beds the base of the Sulphur Coal Group remains to be located, and the presence or absence of the Etruria Marls put to the proof. Still farther up the valley, the plants from a locality at Furnace Mill appear to place the beds in the Westphalian Series. About three-quarters of a mile to the north-east, the Main Sulphur Coal, attended by a /S^nVorfo's-limestone, was worked on the higher ground at Kingswood and Winwoods. So far, then, as the present evidence goes, it confirms the conclusions I had reached twenty years ago,* viz. that " the bulk of the ground along the Dowles * " A Contribution, etc.," 1895, p. 18. 1018 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Valley, and for some distance on either side of it, ... will prove to be Middle Coal Measures." Highley Region.—In this region an extensive assemblage of fossil plants has been obtained from the spoil-banks of the Highley and Kinlet Collieries. The material consists of the debris removed during the working of what is known as the Brooch Coal. At the Highley Colliery this seam, as I am informed by the manager, Mr H. V. BARDLEY, to whom the Survey is indebted for permission to collect, is the one called the Five-Foot Coal in the section of No. 1 shaft, in which it lies at a depth of 875 feet 3 inches. The seam worked at the Kinlet Colliery is also called the Brooch, and is presumably the same as that worked at Highley. The fossil list is described by Dr KIDSTON as typically Westphalian—a conclusion in harmony with Dr ARBER'S view. Mamble Region.—In this district no evidence has yet been obtained that any of the coals worked belong to the Sweet Coal Group. As the coals are accompanied by a Spirorbis-limestone and are more or less sulphurous, there is no reason to doubt that they belong to the same group as the Sulphur Coals of the Highley district; and as they crop out around the margin of the Coal Measure tract within a short distance of the Old Red Sandstone floor, there is no room for the Sweet Coal Group to emerge from below them. These Sulphur Coals are, or have been till recently, worked at the Bayton, Mamble, Pensax, Abberley, and other collieries. The seams are worked under different names at the several pits. At the Bayton Colliery the seam is known as the Three-Quarter Coal; at Mamble, as the Soft Coal; at Pensax, and at the Snead Farm, close by, as the Higher and Lower Coal; and at Abberley, as the Top and Bottom Coal. Whether all these are one and the same coal it is not possible to say without a comparison of the shaft-sections, and as the shafts are in many cases very old, sections are difficult to obtain and possibly not very reliable. How far these coals correspond to the Main Sulphur Coal of the Highley region is uncertain; but their position not far below a Spirorbis-limestone renders it probable that they occur at much the same horizon. The plant-remains collected from the spoil-heaps at the collieries mentioned above indicate that the beds belong to the Staffordian Series and are of Transition age, which agrees with Dr ARBER'S opinion. Alveley.—In the hope of obtaining some plant-remains from the Keele Beds, a quarry 300 yards north-west of Alveley Church was visited by Mr Pringle, but the only specimen obtained was one referred by Dr KIDSTON to Sigillaria Brardi var. denudata Gopp. pro sp. As the range of this plant extends from the Etruria Marls to the Permian, its evidence does not carry us so far as the plants collected from the Claverley boring (p. 1078). Summary.—We will now sum up our present knowledge of the geology t>i what certainly appears to be one of the most puzzling Carboniferous districts in Britain, FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1019

The Coal Measures present in the Wyre Forest Coal Field consist of three groups, of which the lowest is known as the Sweet Coal Group, the intermediate as. the Sulphur Coal Group, and the highest as the Keele Beds. The first belongs to the Westphalian or Middle subdivision of the Coal Measures, the intermediate to the Staffordian, and the highest to the Radstockian, Stephanian, or Upper Coal Measures. The plant-remains are adequate to distinguish the Sweet Coal Group from the Sulphur Coal Group, and to show that the latter is of Staffordian age. As the old Permian is the equivalent of the Keele Group of North Staffordshire, it follows that the Sulphur Coal Group must represent either the Etruria Marls, or the Newcastle (Halesowen) Sandstones, or both. Nowhere in the Midlands do the Etruria Marls contain anything but a scanty flora, nor do they contain workable coal. The Newcastle Sandstones contain an abundant flora and several coals. Lithologically, the Sulphur Coal Group of Wyre Forest agrees much more closely with the Newcastle Sandstones than with any known development of Etruria Marls; it contains workable coals, and its flora is, in the opinion of Dr KIDSTON, closely comparable with that of the Newcastle Beds. We conclude, therefore, that the Sulphur Coal Group of Wyre Forest represents the Newcastle Beds of North Staffordshire and the Halesowen Sandstones of South Staffordshire. The Sulphur Coal Group may or may not be unconformable to the Sweet Coal Group; its base has yet to be defined, and located not only on the surface, but also in the pit-shafts. When this is done, it will be found either (l) that the Etruria Marls of other districts are absent through unconformity, or (2) that they are represented by part of the barren strata that separate the Sulphur Coal Group from the Sweet Coals. The Sweet Coals of Highley are absent as workable coals along the Dowles Valley and at Shatterford because in those directions conditions were unfavourable to the accumulation of the requisite vegetable debris. The fact that at Highley and in the Dowles Valley, and also at Shatterford, both the Sweet Coal Group and the Sulphur Coal Group are developed, while north of Billingsley and again in the Mamble region the Sulphur Coal Group alone is present, is explained by the overlap consequent upon the filling up of a subsiding basin, the margin of which received no Staffordian (Transition) Coal Measure deposits till the deeper parts had been already filled up with deposits of Middle Coal Measure age.

FOSSIL PLANTS OF THE FOREST OF WYRE COAL FIELD.

The species included in Lists I to III were collected by Messrs JOHN RHODES, JOHN PRINGLE, and ROBERT ECKFORD, except a few that were collected by Mr T. C. CANTRILL in 1895. 1020 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

I. Radstockian Series (Upper Coal Measures). KEBLE GROUP. Locality.—Quarry 300 yards N.W. of Alveley Church, Shropshire. (Pr. 1389.) SigiUaria Brardi Brongt., var. denudata Go pp., pro sp.

II. Staffordian Series. NEWCASTLE GROUP. Locality.—Abberley Colliery, \ mile N.W. of Abberley Church, Worcestershire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Top and Bottom Coal=Main Sulphur Seam \ (Pr. 939-961.) cf. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. Pecopteris (Cyatheites) sp. Neuropteris sp. Asterophyllites sp. Sphenophyllum emarginatum Brongt. Lepidodendron sp. Cordaites sp.

Locality.—-Tip, 100 yards W. of Snead Farm, f mile N.E. of Pensax, Worcester- shire. Horizon.—Not more than 30feet above Higher and Lower Seam=Main Sulphur Seam ? (Pr. 901-902.) Pecopteris sp. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp.

Locality.—Pensax Colliery, \ mile N. of Pensax Church, Worcestershire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Higher and Lower Seam = Main Sulphur Seam ? (Pr. 962-977.) Alethopteris Serli Brongt. sp. sp. Neuropteris rarinervis Bunbury. sp. Sphenophyllum sp.

Locality.—Spoil-bank at Rock Moor Colliery, Rock, 4 miles S.W. of Bewdley, Worcestershire. Horizon.—"From one of the Sulphur Coals worked in 1895 " (T. C. CANTRILL). Neuropteris rarinervis Bunbury. ,, Scheuchzeri Hoffm. Alethopteris aquilina Schl. sp. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1021

Locality.—Tip at colliery, 300 yards S.E. of Sodington Hall, Mamble, Worcester- shire. Horizon.—Roof of Soft Coal=Main Sulphur Coal ? (R.E. 171-177.) Neuropteris Scheuchzeri Hoffm. Sphenophyllum emarginatum Brongt.

Locality.—-Tip at Mamble Colliery, Mamble, Worcestershire. Horizon.—Roof of Soft Coal=Main Sulphur Coal ? (Pr. 933-938 ; R.E. 138-170.) Sphenopteris neuropteroides Boulay sp. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. Neuropteris rarinervis Bunbury. , ,, Scheuchzeri Hoffm. ,, macrophylla Brongt. ,, Osmundee Artis sp. Sphenophyllum emarginatum Brongt. sp.

Locality.—Bayton Colliery, Bayton, Worcestershire. Horizon.—-Roof of Three-Quarter Seam=Main Sulphur Seam ? (Pr. 905-932.) Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp. ,, Scheuchzeri Hoffm. sp. Sphenophyllum sp. Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb. Lepidophyllum lanceolatum L. & H. Lepidostrobus sp.

Locality.—Newpool Quarry, W. side of main road, \ mile S.E. of Button Bridge, near Kinlet, Shropshire. (Pr. 1222-1235.) Catamites sp. Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb. Cordaites sp.

Locality.—Borle Brook, 850 yards N. 15° E. of Wadeley Farm, f mile N.N.E. of Billingsley Church, Shropshire. (R.E. 243-247.) Horizon.—Not far above Main Sulphur Coal? Sphenophyllum emarginatum Brongt. 1022 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Locality. —Borle Brook, 1000 yards N. 10° E. of Wadeley Farm, f mile N.N.E. of Billingsley Church, Shropshire. (R.E. 223-242.) Horizon.—Not far above Main Sulphur Coal. Neuropteris rarinervis Bunbury. SphenophyUum emarginatum Brongt.

III. Westphalian Series.

SWEET COAL GROUP.

Locality.—Roadside 230 yards S.E. of Bellman's Cross public-house, Shatterford, 1 \ mile N.E. of Upper Arley, Worcestershire. Horizon—(?) Shales just above basalt. ? Westphalian. (Pr. 1390-1403 ; R.E. 181-184.) Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. ,, (Cyatheites) sp. Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp.

Locality.—Railway cutting, 110 yards N. of Eymore Farm, f mile S. of Upper Arley. (Pr. 1172-1177.) Neuropteris sp. Cordaites principalis Germar sp. Samaropsis sp.

Locality.—Railway cutting under Hill Farm, 1 mile N. of Dowles Church, near Bewdley. (R.E. 216-222.) Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. Alethopteris lonchitica Schl. sp.

Locality.—A gully about 300 yards W. of Riddings Barn, on northern edge of North Wood, 1 mile N. of Bewdley. (Cantrill, and Pr. 1061-1067.) Horizon.—Lowest beds of the Coal Measures. (?) Corynepteris sp. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp. ,, gigantea Sternb. Calamites sp. Lepidodendron sp. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1023

Locality.—Brook 700 yards N. of Lightmarsh Farm, a mile N. of Bewdley. (Cantrill, and Pr. 1053-1060.) Neuropteris sp. Cordaites principalis Germar sp. sp.

Locality.—Well opposite cottage by side of Severn Valley Railway, 400 yards N. of North wood House, \ mile N. of Bewdley. (Pr. 1148-1152.) Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. Calamites sp.

Locality.—Eailway cutting, 150 yards S.E. of Northwood House, \ mile N. of Bewdley. (Cantrill, and Pr. 1068-1147 ; R.E. 185-215.) Sphenopteris sp. Zeilleria delicatula Sternb. sp. (Fertile and sterile.) Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. ,, sp. (Cyatheites). Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. Alethopteris cf. lonchitica Schl. sp. Lonchopteris rugosa Brongt. Neuropteris sp. Calamites sp. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. Sphenbphyllum sp.* Sigillaria sp. Sigillariostrobus ciliatus Kidston. sp. Cordaites sp. Samaropsis Gutbieri Geinitz sp. Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp. (See p. 1060, PI. V, figs. 8 and 9.)

Locality.—Seckley Cliff, W. bank of Severn, 450 yards S.W. of Eymore Farm, f mile S. of Upper Arley, Worcestershire. (Pr. 1178-1221 ; R.E. 99-137, and Cantrill.) Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt. ,, Sauveuri Crepin. ,, cf. Walteri Stur sp. sp. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp.

* Similar to the isolated sporangia described Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. 1, p. 131, pi. x, figs. 5, 5a, 1914. TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 145 1024 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. ,, obliqua Brongt. sp. Calamites sp. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. Annularia sphenophylloides Zenker sp. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. sp. Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb. Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp. Cordaites sp. Samaropsis crassa Lesqx.# sp.

Locality.—South side of Dowles Valley, W. of road and 250 yards W. of Dowles Church, Bewdley. (Pr. 1166-1171.) Calamites sp. Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb.

Locality.—Quarry, 150 yards N. of Grove Farm, f mile W. of Dowles Church, Bewdley. (Pr. 1161-1165.) Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. sp. Cordaianthus sp.

Locality.—Small quarry, 150 yards E. of Town Mill, Dowles Valley, near Bewdley. (J.M. 4856-4865). Neuropteris obliqua Brongt. sp. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. Sphenophyllum majus Bronn. Calamites sp.

Locality.—Road section, 250 yards N.E. of Cooper's Mill (3rd mill W. of Dowles Church). (Pr. 1153-1160.) Neuropteris sp. Annularia spicata Gutbier sp. (See p. 1039, PI. II, figs. 6, 7.) Cordaites sp.

* Coal Flora, pi. cix, fig. 12. (Pr. 1216 ; R.E. 131.) FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1025

Locality.—Roadside at back of building, Cooper's Mill (3rd mill W. of Dowles Church), 1^ mile W. of Dowles Church, near Bewdley. (Cantrill, " Contribution," 1895, p. 38 ; Pr. 999-1052 ; R.E. 12-86.) Sphenopteris furcata Brongt. ,, cf. nummularia Gutbier. ,, Duponti Stur sp. 1885. Diplothmema Duponti, Stur, Fame: Carb. Flora d. Schatz. Schichten, p. 319, pi. xviii, fig. 9. 1911.' Sphenopteris Duponti, Kidston, Mem. Museeroy. d'hist. not. d. Belgique, vol. iv, p. 21. 1885. Diplothmema Gilldneti, Stur, I.e., p. 320, pi. xxviii, figs. 9-10. 1910. Sphenopteris Gilkineti, Deltenre, in Renier, Documents paleont., pi. Ixxi. 1913. Palmatopteris Gilkineti, Gothan, Oberschlesische Steinkohlen Flora, i Thiel, p. 82, pi. xvi, fig. 3. Sphenopteris Walteri Stur. sp. 1885. Calymmotheca Walteri, Stur, Fame: Garb. Flora d. Schatz. Schichten, p. 263, pi. xxxvi,

1893. Palmatopteris Walteri, Potoni^, "tiber einige Carbonfarne," iv Thiel, Jahrb. d. k. Preuss. geol. Landesanst. fur 1892, p. 8, pi. iii. 1914. Sphenopteris Walteri, Kidston, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. 1, p. 88. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. Dactylotheca plurnosa Artis sp. Alethopteris lonchitica Schl. sp. Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. ,, tenuifolia Schl. sp. ,, cf. Blissi Lesqx. ,, gigantea Sternb. ,, Scheuchzeri Hoffm, sp. Catamites ramosus Artis. sp. Asterophyllites equiseUformis Schl. sp. Annularia radiata Brongt. ,, sphenophylloides Zenker sp. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. ,, „ forma saxifragsefolium pro sp. ,, ,, majus Bronn sp. sp. Asolanus camptotsenia Wood. Sigillariostrobus ciliatus Kidston. Cordaites principalis Germar. Cordaites sp. 1026 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Samaropsis emarginata Gopp. & Berger. (See p. 1058, PL V, fig. 7.) Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp. (See p. 1060, PI. V, figs. 8, 9.) Pinnularia capillacea L. & H.

Locality.—Dowles Brook, small cliff on S. side of stream where small stream joins the main stream, 250 yards W.S.W. of Cooper's Mill. Horizon.—Same horizon as beds at Cooper's Mill. (See CANTRILL, " Geol. Forest ofWyre.") (Pr. 978-998 ; R.E. 87^98.) Sphenopteris Walteri Stur sp. sp. Neuropteris sp. Asterophyllites sp. Calamostachys sp. Sphenophyttum sp. Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp. ,, areolatus Boulay sp. (See p. 1062, PL V, fig. 1.) Trigonocarpus Parhinsoni Brongt. Cordaites palmeeformis Gopp. sp. sp. Pinnularia sp.

Locality.—Roadside 120 yards N.E. of Furnace Mill, ^ mile N.W. of Wyre Forest Station, 3 miles E. of Cleobury Mortimer. (Pr. 1416-1452.) Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt. ( = Sph. Schumanni Stur.). Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. cf. Annularia sp. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. ,, cf. trichomatosum Stur. Sigillaria reticulata Lesqx. (See p. 1055, PL II, fig. 1.) ,, transversalis Brongt.

Locality.—Draw-well by side of main road f mile S. of Far Forest Church and nearly 1 mile S. of AVyre Forest Station, 3 miles E. of Cleobury Mortimer. Horizon.—Probably below Main Sulphur Seam. (Pr. 1453-1475.) Neuropteris sp. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. Stigmaria Jicoides Sternb. sp. Cordaianthus sp. Artisia approximata Brongt. sp. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1027

Locality.—Old tip (300 yards N. of 3rd milestone on BrMgnorth road from Cleo- bury Mortimer), Baveney Wood, Shropshire. Horizon.—Sweet Coals. (R.E. 178-180.) Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt.

Locality.—Kinlet Colliery, E. of Tip House, 1 mile S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. (Pr. 1476-1544 ; J.M. 4914-4993.) Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Coal (=Five-Foot Seam of Highley Colliery ?). Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt.* ,, Sauveuri Crepin.t ,, Marrati Kidston. sp. Renaultia gracilis Brongt. sp. Zeilleria avoldensis Stur sp. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. ,, cf. Volkmanni Sauveur. Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Alethopteris Serli Brongt. Lonchopteris Bricei Brongt. Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. ,, yigantea Sternb. sp. Catamites Sachsei Stur. sp. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. „ cf. longifolius Sternb. sp. Annularia microphylla Sauveur. Palwostachya Ettingshauseni Kidston. sp. Paracalamostachys striata Weiss. J Lepidodendron ophiurus Brongt. sp. Lepidostrobus sp. Sigillaria vulgaris Artis sp. ,, nudicaulis Boulay. (See p. 1050, PI. Ill, figs. 2, 3.)

* Both forms of Sphen. obtusiloba Brongt., the Sphen. Schummanni Stur and Sphen. striata Gothan, occur here. t This specimen is the Sphen. (Diplothmema) Bichthofeni Stur, Fame: Garb. Flora d. Schatz. Schichten, pi. xxv, figs. 6, 7 (nan fig. 5.) (Non pi. xxxv, fig. 1, at right margin.) See GOTHAN, Oberschlesische Steinkohlen Flora, i Theil, p. 28, 1913. I This cone, though incomplete at either end, was 10 cm. long. 1028 DE R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Sigillaria Voltzi Brongt. distant Sauveur. (See p. 1051, PL IV, fig. 4 ; PL V, fig. 10.) ,, elongata Brongt. Candollei Brongt. (See p. 1049, PL IV, figs. 1, 2.) Pringlei Kidston n. sp. (See p. 1053, PL III, fig. 1.) Boblayi Brongt. (See p. 1048, PL IV, fig. 3.) „ transversalis Brongt. (See p. 1054, PL II, figs. 2-4.) sp. Sigillariostrobus cf. rhombibracteatus Kidston. sp. Stigmaria sp. Cordaites borassifolius Sternb. sp. „ principalis Grermar sp. Samaropsis sp. Carpolithes areolatus Boulay. ,, membranaceus Gopp. Locality.—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Coal (=Five-Foot Seam). (Rh. 3598- 3615; Pr. 1240-1387; J.M. 4866-4913.) Sphenopteris Marrati Kidston. „ Dixoni Kidston n. sp. (See p. 1077, PL V, fig. 3-5.) cf. Zeilleria delicatula Sternb. sp. Oligocarpia Brongniarti Stur. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. ,, cf. Volhmanni Sauveur. Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. * Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Alethopteris Serli Brongt. sp. Lonchopteris rugosa Brongt. Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. ,, Grangeri Brongt. ,, tenuifolia Schl. sp. ,, cf. Blissi Lesqx. ,, obliqua forma impar Weiss pro sp. ,, gigantea Sternb. ,, Scheuchzeri Hoffm. Calamites Cisti Brongt. ,, schiitzeiformis Kidston and Jongmans.*

* See JONQMANS and KUKTJK, " Die Calamariaceen des Rheinisch-Westfalischen Kohlenbeckens," Mededeelingen van 's Eijks Herbarium, Leiden, No. 20 (1913), p. 32. i FOREST OP WYEE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1029

Calamites sp. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. Cingularia typica Weiss. (See p. 1042, PI. I, figs. 1-2.) ,, Cantrilli Kidston n. sp. (See p. 1045, PL I, figs. 3-5.) cf. Macrostachya sp. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. ,, ,, forma saxifragwfotium Stbg. pro sp. Lepidophloios acerosus L. & H. sp. (See p. 1057, PL II, fig. 5.) Lepidophyllum lanceolatum L. & H. Sigillaria Davreuxi Brongt. sp. Sigillariostrobus rhombibracteatus Kidston. Stigmaria Jicoides Sternb. sp. Cordaites principalis Germar sp. ,, borassifolius Sternb. sp. Samaropsis cf. crassa Lesqx. Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp. ,, areolatus Boulay sp. (See p. 1062, PL V, fig. 1.)

Locality.—Tip at Billingsley Colliery, 1 mile S.E. of Billingsley Church, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with one of the Sweet Coals being worked in June 1914. (J.M. 4994-5000; R.E. 1-11.) Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp. ,, gigantea Sternb. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium forma saxifragsefolium Sternb. pro sp. Lepidodendron sp.

FROM EOCKS PROBABLY BELONGING TO THE WESTPHALIAN SERIES. Locality. — Brickworks, W. end of village, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire. (Pr. 1405-1415.) Horizon.—Small outlier of lowest beds of the Coal Measures. Neuropteris sp. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. Samaropsis sp. Several species of considerable interest were met with, some of which are new to Britain and others new to science; but before figuring and describing these, the general conclusions deduced from these collections had better be discussed, and with 1030 DE R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

this object a complete list of all the species known to occur in the Staffordian and Westphalian Series of the Wyre Forest Coal Field is given, irrespective of the localities from which they were collected. Dr ARBER most kindly allowed me to examine his collection, which is preserved in the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge, and any species comprised in it which are not represented in the collections of the Geological Survey or of Mr CANTRILL are included in the lists given here, but are distinguished by a *. There are, however, some plants recorded by Dr ARBER on which I wish to make some remarks.

Macrostachya Schimperiana.

ARBER, I.e., p. 389, pi. xxix, fig. 31. The Forest of Wyre example only exhibits the outer surface of the bracts, and does not show the position of the sporangiophores, an essential character for the identification of Palseostachya Schimperiana Weiss, t In Palseostachya the sporangiophores spring from the axils of the bracts, while in Macrostachya they are believed to arise from the axis midway between the bract verticils as in Calamostachys.\ There does not appear to be any adequate reason, therefore, for the transference of Palseostachya Schimperiana of WEISS to the genus Macrostachya. The outer characters shown on the British specimen do not seem to me to be alone sufficient for its identification with WEISS'S species. I therefore prefer provisionally to name Dr ARBER'S specimen cf. Macrostachya sp.

, Neuropteris plicata.

ARBER, I.e., p. 391, pi. xxvii, figs. 10, 11. This is neither the Neuropteris plicata Sternb. nor the plant figured by me under that name.§ Since describing and figuring my specimen, I have received, through the kindness of the Director of the Bohemian Museum, Prag, a photograph and plaster casts of the true Neuropteris plicata Sternb.|| The nervation is not very clearly seen on the photograph, but as far as visible agrees very well with that on my specimen. On the true plant, however, the pinnules are rather more obtuse, and the plications at the margins of the pinnules are much more prominent, a character well brought out on the two plaster casts kindly sent me, where they are much more conspicuous than shown on STERNBERG'S figure. I therefore propose the name of Neuropteris subplicata for the Staffordshire specimen. IT

+ See WEISS, Steinkohl. Galamarien, part i, p. 105, pi. v, 1876. + STERZEI, VII Bericht d. Naturw. Gesell. zu Chemnitz, 1881, p. 238. See also JONGMANS, Anleitung, i, p. 349, 1911. § Trans. Roy, Soc. Edin., vol. xxxv, p. 313, plate, figs. 1, la, 1888. || Vers., i, fasc. iv, p. 16 ; ii, p. 74, pi. xix, figs. 1 and 3. IT See Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xxxv, p. 313, pi. figs. 1, In, 1888. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1031

Pecopteris integra. ARBKR, I.e., p. 392, pi. xxvii, fig. 15. From an examination of this specimen I feel satisfied it is a somewhat decayed example of Pec. Miltoni Artis sp.

Mariopteris latifolia. ARBER, I.e., p. 386. This appears to me to be Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp.

SigiUaria Utschneideri. ARBBR, I.e., p. 398, pi. xxviii, fig. 18. On the specimen figured by Dr ARBER the ribs are smooth, whereas on BRONGNIART'S type the whole of the interfoliar portion of the rib is characterised by transverse bars or ridges. Dr ARBER'S specimen may therefore be specifically distinct. SigiUaria elongata. ARBER, I.e., p. 386. This I believe to be SigiUaria rugosa Brongt.

SigiUariostrobus nobilis Zeiller. ARBER, I.e., p. 399, pi. xxvi, figs. 1, 2, 4, 5. Some of the bracts of the specimens of this cone shown me by Dr ARBER exhibit some fine cilia on their margins, and the same character is seen on some specimens from Yorkshire collected by Mr HEMINGWAY, which I also refer to this species. These cilia are not mentioned in ZEILLER'S description, but are very delicate, and may not have been preserved on his specimens.

Samaropsis Jiuitans.

ARBER, I.e., p. 387.

I am familiar with the small seed named Samaropsis Jiuitans by Dr ARBER, and I believe in Britain it has been frequently identified as DAWSON'S species. I am, however, very doubtful of its specific identity with DAWSON'S Samaropsis (Cardio- carpum) Jiuitans, nor does it seem to agree with those so named on the Continent. I therefore for the present think it safer to simply name the Forest of Wyre example Samaropsis sp. Odontopteris Coemansi.

ARBBR, I.e., p. 388. This specimen is rather imperfectly preserved, but I think it is a fragment of a Sphenopteris. The pinnules show a distinct midrib with lateral veinlets, and therefore cannot be referred to the genus Odontopteris. TRANS. BOY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 146 1032 DK E. KIDSTON, ME T. C. CANTEILL, AND ME E. E. L. DIXON.

In the following lists I have omitted those species which appear to be doubtful, awaiting confirmation of their occurrence in the Wyre Forest Coal Field.

SYNOPSIS OF ALL THE FOSSIL PLANTS KNOWN FROM THE STAFFORDIAN SERIES, INCLUDING THE SULPHUR COAL GROUP. Sphenopteris neuropteroides Boulay. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. ,, (Cyatheites) sp. Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. * Odontopteris Lindleyqna Sternb. Neuropteris ovata Hoffm. ,, tenuifolia Schl. sp. „ rarinervis Bunbury. * ,, flexuosa Sternb. ,, Scheuchzeri Hoffm. ,, Osmundse Artis sp. ,, macrophylla Brongt. * Alethopteris lonchitica Schl. sp. ,, aquilina Schl. sp. ,, Serli Brongt. sp. * Catamites Suckowi Brongt. * „ (?) Cisti Brongt. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. * Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. ,, emarginatum Brongt. Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb. * „ dichotomum (? Sternb.) Zeiller. * „ lanceolatum Lesqx. * ,, Wortheni Lesqx. Lepidostrobus variabilis L. & H. Lepidophyllum lanceolatum L. & H. ^Stigmaria Jtcoides Sternb. sp. Cordaites sp. * Cordaianthus dubius Grand'Eury. Cordaianthus sp. Artisia approximata Brongt. sp. Before considering this list in its application to the zoning of the Staffordian Series of the Forest of Wyre, the previously known distribution of the species it

* Specimens indicated by a * are preserved in the collections made by Dr ARBEB, now in the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge. FOREST OF WYEE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1033

contains in British Carboniferous rocks must be • consideredr This is seen in the annexed table :—

Fossil Plants of the Staffordian Series of the Forest of Wyre Coal Field. Serie s Serie s Serie s Series . Lanarkia n = U.C.M.) . = L.C.M.) . = M.C.M.) . Staffordia n Radstockia n ( ( ( Westphalia n

Sphenopteris veuropteroides Boulay sp. ....X . Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp...... X X X „ (Gyatheites) sp...... X X Dactylof.Jieca plumosa Artis sp. . . . X X X Odontopteris Lindleyana Sternb...... X . x Xeuropteris ovata Hoffm...... X . x ... ,, tenuifolia Schl. sp.. ... X „ - rarinervis Bunbury ...... X X X „ -flexuosa Sternb...... X X „ Scheuehzeri Hoffm...... X X X „ Osmundse Artis sp. . ... X „ macrophylla Brongt...... X Alethopleris lonchitica Schl. sp.. X X X X „ aquilina Sohl. sp...... X X „ Serli Brongt. sp...... X X v Oalamites Suckotoi Brongt...... x. X X X „ 1 Cisti Brongt. . . . X 1 X f Arterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. X x • X X Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp...... X X X „ emarginatum Brongt...... X X Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb...... X . X X ,, dichotomum (? Sternb.) Zeiller ...X. X X „ laneeolatum. Lesqx...... X „ Wortheni Lesqx...... X X X X Lepidostrobus varidbilis L. & H. . • X X X Lepidophyllum laneeolatum L. & H. . X X X X Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp...... X X X X Cordaites sp. ... Uordaianthus dubius Grand'Eury ...... „ . sp Artisia approximata Brongt. sp...... 1 X X

This table shows at once that, of the fossil plants found ip the Staffordian of the Wyre Forest, the majority occur in the Radstockian Series, where, with a few exceptions, they are all frequent or common. Under Pecopteris (Cyatheites) sp. possibly more than one species occurs, but in these " Red Measures," even when the outline of the pinnules is clearly exhibited, all trace of the nervation has almost in- variably disappeared, and in this condition a critical determination is impossible. In any case the " Pecopteris type " of fern is rare in the Staffordian of the Wyre Forest, and in this it differs markedly from the occurrence of the genus in the Radstockian Series, where they are extremely plentiful. On the other hand, there are several species that occur in the Staffordian of the Wyre Forest which have not yet been found in the Radstockian, and which are frequent or common in the Westphalian, such as Neuropteris tenuifolia Sehl. sp., Neuropteris Osmundse Artis sp., and Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. Spheno- 1034 DR B. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR B. B. L. DIXON. phyllum emarginatum Brongt., though it extends down to the Black Band Group, has not been found in a lower horizon in Britain. It is particularly common, however, in the Radstockian Series. Alethopteris lonchitica Schl. sp., though recorded from the Radstockian, has only been met with there on a single occasion,* but is one of the most common Westphalian and Lanarkian species. The admixture of Radstockian and Westphalian species in the shales associated with the " Sulphur Coal Group" places it, as pointed out by Dr ARBER, in the Staffordian Series. The next question that falls to be considered is to which group of the Staffordian is the " Sulphur Coal " Group to be referred. The fossil flora of the Staffordian Series is still very imperfectly known—much more so than that of any of the other divisions of the Upper Carboniferous. The following table, however, shows, as far as at present known, the distribution of the Forest of Wyre species in the three groups into which the series is divisible :—

Newcastle- Etruria Black Fossil Plants of the Staffordian Series of the Forest of under-Lyrae Marl Band Wyre Coal Field. Group. Group. Group.

Sphenopteris neuropteroides Boulay sp. . . Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp...... X X ,, (Gyatheites) sp...... X .*• X Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp...... X Odontopteris Lindleyana Sternb...... I Neuropteris ovata Hoffm...... X j , tenuifolia Schl. sp...... X , rarinervis Bunbury ...... X . X ,flexuos aSternb ...... X , Sclieuchzeri Hofftn...... X . X X , Osmundx Artis sp...... • • • • . . , macrophylla Brongt...... Aleth opteris lonchitica Schl. sp...... x X , aquilina Schl. sp...... X „ Serli Brongt. sp...... X ... Catamites Suckowi Brongt...... X X „ ICisli Brongt X Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. . X ... X Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. . X „ emarginatum Brougt...... X X Lepidodendron acvleatum Sternb...... „ dichotomum (1 Sternb.) Zeiller .... X ... „ lanceolatum Lesqx...... „ Wortheni Lesqx...... X Lepidostrobus variabilis L. & H. X Le/ridophyllxm lanceolatum L. & H. . X ... Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp...... X. X Gordaites sp...... Gordaianthus dubius Grand'Eury ...... 1 „ sp...... Artisia approximata Brongt. sp......

K/233. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1035

Of these, Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. and Lepidodendron Wortheni Lesqx. occur in both the Radstockian Series and Westphalian Series, and are well-marked species of both these horizons. Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb. also occurs in the Radstockian and Westphalian, but is more rare in the first-mentioned horizon. Sphenopteris neuropteroides Boulay sp. and Odontopteris Lindleyana Sternb. have not previously been found out of the Radstockian. Neuropteris macrophylla Brongt. has on a previous occasion been found in the Staffordian Series, but from which group is not at present determined. Neuropteris jlexuosa Sternb., though it has been collected as low down as the Black Band Group, is extremely rare there, but is a characteristic species of the Radstockian. Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp. and Neuropteris Osmundae Artis sp. are both characteristic of the Westphalian Series and are very rare in the Staffordian. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. is common in both the Lanarkian and Westphalian Series, and I have not previously seen it in a higher horizon than the Black Band Group. Cordaianthus dubius Grand'Eury has only recently been recorded as a British species. Artisia approximata Brongt. sp. is the pith-cast of a Cordaitean stem and has no value as a zonal record, as similar pith-casts occur as low down as the Calciferous Sandstone Series, and probably originate from stems which have no specific relationship. Stigmaria Jtcoides Sternb. sp. is also a non-zonal form. Among the species found in the Sulphur Coal Group and associated measures, and which have previously been recorded from the Black Band Group, are several which, though they occur in the Westphalian, also occur in the Radstockian. Of such, Neuropteris Scheuchzeri Hoffm. and Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. may be mentioned. The former is more characteristic of the Radstockian, but the latter is about equally common in both. These Radstockian species in the Wyre Forest are, however, accompanied by a few most characteristic Westphalian plants, such as Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp. and Neuropteris Osmundae Artis sp. These are both specially characteristic of the Westphalian Series. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp., Alethopteris lonchitica Schl. sp., Calamites Suchowi Brongt., Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb., and Lepidophyllum lanceolatum L. & H. are common plants of both the Westphalian and Lanarkian Series, and become rarer in the Staffordian. It is therefore seen that the Forest of Wyre list contains a greater number of characteristic Radstockian plants than Westphalian species, and as the Radstockian species are much more numerous than found to occur in the Black Band.Group, the beds from which these fossils have been derived must hold a higher horizon. These considerations clearly show that the beds under discussion must be referred to the Newcastle Group. They are only separable botanically from the " Keele Group" of the Radstockian Series by the presence of a few characteristic Westphalian plants which have persisted up to this period, but after which they seem, as far as at present known, to have disappeared. 1036 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

The fossil plants of the Etruria Marl Group are almost entirely unknown, as these rocks have proved very barren of fossils. But that the beds under discussion are not referable to the Etruria Marls is shown by the very close agreement of the species collected from the Wyre Forest with those typical of the Eadstockian Series. It is therefore seen that the suggestion made by CANTRILL, Prof. LAPWORTH and Prof. WATTS,* that the Sulphur Coals belonged to the Newcastle Group or Halesowen Sandstone, or the more general belief of Messrs MEACHEM and Russ, that the Halesowen Sandstone Group occurred in the Wyre Forest Coal Field, is quite correct. We are therefore unable to accept the view expressed by Dr ARBER that " the Sulphur Coal Series of the Wyre Forest belongs to the same horizon as the Ked Clay group t of South Staffordshire, and may be the actual representative of that very series"; and further, " if the Halesowen Sandstone Series occurs in the Wyre Forest the beds must be thin, for there does not appear to be any great development there of grey arenaceous rocks above the coals, which lie at the base of the series." \ The Keele Group of the Radstockian Series is present in the Forest of Wyre, but the only plant derived from it is the Sigillaria Brardi Brongt. var. denudata Gopp. pro sp.

SYNOPSIS OF ALL THE FOSSIL PLANTS KNOWN FROM THE WESTPHALIAN SERIES (SWEET COAL GROUP). Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt. § ,, Sauveuri Crepin. ,, cf. nummularia Gutbier. ,, Marrati Kidston. ,, Duponti Stur sp. ,, furcata Brongt. „ Walteri Stur sp. Dixoni Kidston n. sp. (See p. 1077, PI. V, figs. 3-5.) Renaultia gracilis Brongt. sp. Oligocarpia Brongniarti Stur. Zeilleria delicatula Sternb. sp.

* LAPWORTH and WATTS, " Shropshire," in Geology in the Field, 8vo, 1910, p. 739. t The Etrufia Marl Group of North Staffordshire. + l.c, p. 429. § I unite with this species the Sphenopteris (Diplothmema) Schumanni Stur (Die Fame: Carb. Flora d. Schatz. Schichten, p. 352, pi. lxv, fig. 2) and the Sphenopteris striata Gothan (" Oberschlesische Steinkohlenflora," i Theil, p. 24, pi. v, figs. 3, 3o, pi. vi, figs. 3, 3a, Abhandl. Oeol. Landesanstalt, Neue Folge, Heft 75,1913). The distinctive characters of the latter are, I believe, entirely due to the condition of preservation of the specimens. Both forms occur here. See KIDSTON. Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. 1, part i, p. 78, 1914. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1037

*Zeilleria avoldensis Stur sp. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. ,, cf. Volkmanni Sauveur. Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. ,, tenuifolia Schl. sp. ,, sp. allied to Neuropteris Blissi Lesqx. ,, gigantea Sternb. ,, Grangeri Brongt. ,, obliqua Brongt. sp. ,, Scheuchzeri Hoffm. Alethopteris lonchitica Schl. sp. ,, Serli Brongt. sp. * „ Grandini Brongt. sp. * ,, aquilina Schl. sp. Lonchopteris rugosa Brongt. „ Bricei Brongt. Calamites Cisti Brongt. * „ undulatus Sternb. (C. varians Sternb). t ,, ramosus Artis. ,, vertidllatus L. & H. ,, Sachsei Stur. „ schiitzeiformis Kids. & Jongm. * „ Gopperti Ett. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. ,, cf. longifolius Sternb. sp. *Annularia galioides L. & H. ,, microphylla Sauveur. „ sphenophylloides Zenker sp. „ radiata Brongt. Calamostachys sp. Palseostachya Ettingshausi Kidston. Paracalamostachys striata Weiss. Cingularia typica Weiss. (See p. 1042, PI. I, figs. 1, 2.) Cantrilli n. sp. (See p. 1045, PI. I, figs. 3-5.) *Macrostachya sp. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. *. Specimens indicated by a * are preserved in the collections made by Dr ABBER, now in the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge. + See JONGMANS and KUKDK, " Die Calamariaceen des Rheinisch-Westfalischen Kohlenbeckens," Mededeelingen van'» Rijkt Herbarium, Leiden, No. 20 (1913), p. 12. 1038 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Sphenophyllum cuneifolium forma saxifragwfolium Sternb. pro sp. „ majus Bronn sp. ,, cf. trichomatosum Stur. Lepidodendron ophiurus Brongt. ,, simile Kidston. ,, dichotomum (? Sternb.) Zeiller. Lepidodendron Wortheni Lesqx. Lepidophloios acerosus L. & H. (See p. 1057, PL II, fig. 5.) * ,, cf. laricinus Sternb. • Lepidophyllum lanceolatum L. & H. *Lepidostrobus variabilis L. & H. Asolanus camptotsenia Wood. *Sigillaria scutellata Brongt. ,, - mamillaris Brongt. Boblayi Brongt. (See p. 1048, PL IV, fig.3. ) „ vulgaris Artis sp. ,, Davreuxi Brongt. Candollei Brongt. (See p. 1049, PL IV, figs. 1, 2.) * ,, Kinletensis Arber. ,, nudicaulis Boulay. distans Sauveur. (See p. 1051, PL IV, fig. 4 ; PL V, fig. 10.) Pringlei n. sp. (See p. 1053, PL III, fig. 1.) * ,, cf. Utschneideri Brongt. „ transversalis Brongt. (See p. 1054, PL II, figs. 2-4.) ,, Voltzi Brongt. * ,, rugosa Brongt. „ reticulata Lesqx. (See p. 1055, PL II, figs. 1, la-lc). Sigillariostrobus ciliatus Kidston. ,, rhombibracteatus Kidston. * ,, nobilis Zeiller. Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp. Cordaites borassifolius Sternb. sp. ,, principalis Germar sp. ,, palmseformis Gb'pp. sp. Samaropsis crassa Lesqx. t ,, emarginata Gopp. & Berger sp. „ Gfutbieri Geinitz sp. * ,, cf. Meachemi Kidston sp.

* Specimens indicated by a * are preserved in the collections made by Dr ARBBB, now in the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge. t Goal Flora, pi. cix, fig. 12. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1039

*Carpolithes perpussilus Lesqx. „ membranaceus Gopp. ,, areolatus Boulay sp. *Holcospermum problematicum Arber sp. Trigonocarpus Parkinsoni Brongt. Pinnularia capillacea L. & H. No discussion is necessary on this list, as Dr ARBER has shown that the " Sweet Coal Group " is clearly of Westphalian age ; but the additional species derived by us from this series adds to our knowledge of the fossil plants of this Coal Field. On later pages the following species are described and figured from this series :— Annularia spicata Gutbier sp. (p. 1039). Cingularia typica Weiss (p. 1042). ,, Cantrilli n. sp. (p. 1045). Sigillaria Boblayi Brongt. (p. 1048). „ Candollei Brongt. (p. 1049), „ nudicaulis Boulay (p. 1050). „ distans Sauveur (p. 1051). ,, Pringlei n. sp. (p. 1053). „ transversalis Brongt. (p. 1054). ,, reticulata Lesqx. (p. 1055). Lepidophloios acerosus L. & H. (p. 1057). Samaropsis emarginata Gopp. & Berger (p. 1058). ,, Gutbieri Geinitz sp. (p. 1059). Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp. (p. 1060). ,, areolatus Boulay sp. (p. 1062).

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIMENS. Annularia spicata Gutbier sp. PI. II, figs. 6, 6a, 7, la. 1849. Asterophyllites spicata, Gutbier, Vers. d. Zeehstein u. Rothl. in Sacht-en, Heft ii, p. 9, pi. ii, figs. 1-3. 1861. „ „ Geinitz, Dyas, p. 136, pi. xxv, figs. 5, 6. 1871. „ spicatus, Weiss, Foss. Flora d. jiingst. Stk. u. Rothl., p. 128, pi. xviii, fig. 32. 1869. Annularia spicata, Schimper, Traite d. paleont. veget., vol. i, p. 350. 1892. „ ,, Zeiller (pars), Bassin houil. et perm, de Brive, p. 68, (?) pi. xi, fig. 4. 1893. ,, „ Potonie1, Flora d. Rothl. von Thiiringen, p. 175, pi. xxiv, fig. 7. 1907. „ „ Zalessky, Donetz, Bull, du Gomite geol. (St Petersbourg), vol. xxvi, p. 509, pi. xxvi, fig. 2. 1911. „ ,, Jongmans {pars), Anleitung, p. 263. 1869. cf. Annularia minuta, Wood (non Brongt.), Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc, vol. xiii, p. 347, pi. viii, fig. 2.

* Specimens indicated by a * are preserved in tbe collections made by Dr ARBER, now in the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge. TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 147 1040 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR B. E. L. DIXON.

Description.—The branches of the first, second, and third degrees are distichously developed, two arising from the opposite sides of each node, and all seem to lie in the same plane. The stem (?) attains a thickness of 0"5 cm. or more, with internodes 375 cm. long, striated longitudinally. Branches of first order are about 2 mm. thick, with the basal internodes about 1 cm. long; branchlets of the second order very slender, with lower internodes about 0'5 cm. long. Leaves whorled, those on the stem upright or adpressed, and probably united to each other by their bases. Leaves on branches and branchlets verticillate, spreading, very small, about 2 to 2'50 mm. long, lanceolate, widest slightly above the middle, and as many as fourteen may enter into the formation of a whorl on the larger branchlets, but on the smaller ones the whorls are formed of a much less number of leaves. Cones small, oblong, about 0'5 cm. long, borne on the ultimate branchlets and probably in whorls. Internal organisation unknown. Remarks.—The collection contains three small examples of Annularia spicata Gutbier sp., which were found at Cooper's Mill section. The fossils are of a rich brown colour on a buff shale, which makes it very difficult to photograph them; but two of the specimens are given on PI. II, figs. 6 and 7. The plants are much broken up, but show a few branchlets, either isolated or springing in pairs from the nodes of a larger branch. The largest leaves on these specimens are from about 2 mm. to 2'50 mm. long, lanceolate and sharp-pointed, but it is only in rare cases that they are perfectly preserved. The leaves, however, agree, both in size and form, with the description given by GTJTBIER, " linear lanzettliche Blattchen," and there can be no doubt as to the specimens belonging to GUTBIER'S " Asterophyllites spicata," with which they agree absolutely. They are identical with those figured by GEINITZ in Dyas, pi. xxv, figs. 5, 6. The description of the species given here is partly drawn up from the original figures and description of GUTBIER. ZEILLER, in his Bassin houil. et perm, de Brive, unites to this species the Annularia minuta, of which he figures the two specimens originally so named by BRONGNIART, but which had not previously been figured or described.* This, however, I believe to be specifically distinct from Annularia spicata Gutbier sp. ZEILLER further points out that these specimens of Annularia minuta much resemble the Annularia microphylla Sauveur ; f but the Annularia microphylla is a larger species with sickle-shaped leaves, and the leaf-margins are recurved.J According to my view, it is with Annularia galioidesh. & H. sp. that Annularia spicata must be compared. Though the leaves of Annularia galioides appear to have had a pilose upper

* ZBILLEE, I.e., figs. 2, 3. t Veget.foss. ten. houil. de la Belgique, p. lxix, fig. 6, 1848. \ See KIDSTON, Trans. Boy. Soc. Edin., vol. 1, p. 172, pi. x, figs. 1-3, 1914. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1041 surface, it is only observable when the specimens are exceptionally well preserved,* and in this villosity Annularia galioides is thought to differ from Annularia spicata, where the leaves are supposed to be smooth, t I am afraid that this character cannot be regarded as of distinctive value, because occasionally one sees a hirsute covering on the leaves of Annularia radiata,\ and POTONIE has figured Annularia stellata Schl. sp. showing a similar character.§ I have also received from Dr MOYSEY specimens of this latter species in which the hairy surface of the leaves is beautifully exhibited. It would appear, therefore, that the presence or absence of hairs on the surface of the leaves of Annularia cannot be taken as a character of specific importance, as their presence or absence seems to be due to the state of preservation of the fossil. The leaves of Annularia spicata are distinctly narrower in proportion to their length than those of Annularia galioides, and this gives a less dense character of growth to the plant, which, taken in conjunction with the smaller size of Annularia spicata in all its parts, offers an easy means of distinguishing the two species. It is therefore with Annularia galioides that I would unite the Annularia minuta Brongt., with which in the size and form of the leaves it agrees perfectly, especially with those on the smaller branchlets of that species. I am a little doubtful if the specimen figured by ZEILLER in his Bassin houil. et perm, de Brive, pi. xi, fig. 4, as Annularia spicata should be referred to that species, as the broader form of the leaves seems to agree more with those of Annularia galioides L. & H. sp., of which it may possibly be a small condition. The differences between these two species, though not easy to put in words, are quite clear when specimens of the two plants are compared. It has also been proposed by ZEILLER to unite the Annularia radiiformis Weiss sp. || with Annularia spicata Gutbier sp., but here also I am unable to accept this view, as I fail to discover any character by which it seems possible to separate the Annularia radiiformis Weiss sp. from Annularia galioides L. & H. sp.l The British specimens of Annularia spicata come from a lower horizon than that from which the plant has been previously obtained. Locality.—Roadside, 250 yards N.E. of Cooper's Mill, 1^ mile W. of Dowles Church, Bewdley. Horizon. —Westphalian Series. (Pr. 1156-1158.)

* K/2066. t JONGMANS, Anleitung, i, pp. 258 and 263. I See JONGMANS and KIKUK, Calamariaceen d. Rhein. Weslfal. Kohlenbeckens, p. 42, pi. xvi, figs. 1, 2, 5, 1913. § Flora des Rothl. von Thuringen, p. 162, pi. xxiv, figs. 4, 5, 1893. || Asterophyllites radiiformis, Weiss, Foss. Flora d. jungst. Stle. u. Rothl., p. 129, pi. xii, fig. 3, IT Bassin houil. et perm, de Blanzy et du Grensot, p. 138, 1906. 1042 DR R. KIDSTON, ME T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Cingularia Weiss. 187]. Cingularia, Weiss, Foss. Flora d. jiingst. Stk. u. Rothl., Heft ii, p. 137. 1876. „ Weiss, Steinkolden-Calamarien, Heft i, p. 88. Remarks.—Up till the present, Cingularia typica Weiss was the only species comprised in this remarkable genus, but a second species is described below. As the generic and specific characters are so intimately connected, these need not be mentioned here, as they will be dealt with when treating of Cingularia typica.

Cingularia tjrpica Weiss. PL I, figs. 1, la, 2, 2a. 1828. cf. Equisetum infundibuliforme, Bronn, in Bischoff, Krypt. Gewdehse Deutschl., p. 52, pi. vi, fig.4 . 1828. cf. „ „ Brongt. (pars), Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 119, pi. xii, fig. 16. 1871. Cingularia typica, Weiss, Foss. Flora d. jiingst. Stic. u. Rothl., p. 138, pi. xiv, fig. 4. 1873. „ „ Weiss, Zeitseh. d. deut. geol. Gesell., p. 263, fig. 5. 1874. „ „ Schimper, Traite d. paleont. .veget., vol. iii, p. 460, pi. cix, figs. 1-4. 1876. „ „ Weiss, Steinkohlen-Calamarien, Heft i, p. 99, pi. vi, figs. 5, 6; pi. vii, figs. 1-9; pi. viii, figs. 1-7; pi. ix, figs. 1-7. 1874.. „ „ Stur, Verhandl. d. h. k. Reiehsanst., No. 7, p. 176. 1882. „ „ Weiss, Aus d. Steink., p. 11, pi. x, fig. 55 (Zweiter Abdruck). 1882. ,, „ Renault, Cours d. bot. foss., vol. ii, p. 144, pi. xix, figs. 9-11. 1887. „ „ Stur, Curb. Flora d. Sehatz. Sehiehten: Die Calamarien, p. 218, pi. ivb, figs. 2, 3. 1888. „ „ Toula, Die Sleinkohlen, p. 206, pi. v, figs. 34-36. 1891. „ „ Solms-Laubach, Fossil Botany, p. 334, fig. 47. 1893. „ „ Fischer, Naturf. Gesell. in Bern, Jahrg. 1893, p. 1, pi. i. 1899. ,, „ Hofmann et Ryba (pars), Leitpflanzen d. palaeoz. Steink., p. 31, pi. iii, figs. 1-3 (mm fig. 16). 1900. „ „ Scott, Studies in Fossil Botany, p. 62, figs. 26, 27. 1900. ,, „ Zeiller, Elements de paleobot'., p. 168, fig. 119. 1907. „ ,, Zeiller, Comptes rendus, vol. cxliv, p. 1140. 1908. „ „ Schuster, Geognostischen Jahresheflen 1907, xx Jahrg., p. 206, fig. 1 (?), p. 209. 1908. „ „ Bower, Origin of a Land Flora, p. 377, fig. 204. 1909. „ „ Lotsy, Botanische Stammesgesehichte, ii, p. 542, fig. 363. 1911. „ ,, Jongmans, Anleitung, p. 357, figs. 325-331. 1911. „ „ Kidston, Mem. Musee roy. d'hist. nat. de Belgique, vol. iv, p. 128. 1914. „ „ Pelourde, Paleont. vegetale, p. 44, fig. 9. Remarks.—The stem is calamitoid, jointed and ribbed, and the leaves, which seem to be of the Asterophyllites type, possess a distinct central vein. The cones have short ribbed stalks, which are in addition striated longitudinally ; on the axis of the cone, the ribs, which do not alternate at the nodes, are narrow and separated by wide furrows that are distinctly and very regularly striated. The bract whorls are somewhat distant, and each whorl is composed of two parts, an upper sterile and a lower fertile whorl. The upper sterile whorl consists of a broad flat sheath formed by the complete FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1043

union of the lower portions of the bracts, which surround the stem as a flat disc ; the free portions of the bracts, to the number of twenty or more, extend outwards as narrow lanceolate or linear-lanceolate sharp-pointed teeth, which, according to the figure given by WEISS, are nearly 2 cm. long.* Where the teeth become free from the sheath, they are separated by a small round bay or sinus. The fertile whorl, which is placed immediately beneath the sterile one, consists of ten to twelve sporophylls which are also united to each other for about half their length, and form a disc-like plate surrounding the stem. Their free portions have truncate extremities which are again divided by a radial cleft that extends inwards for about half their length. When their upper surface is exposed to view, each of these smaller divisions shows a slight concentric furrow at its base, which marks, off the two free terminal portions from the undivided part of the sporophyll. When the lower surface of the fertile whorl is exhibited, each of these smaller outer segments shows a small circular depression, and, in a radial line immediately within them on the undivided part, two other small depressions occur. These mark the points from which the sporangia have been removed. Each fertile bract therefore bore four sporangia, an outer concentric circle on the smaller lappets, and an inner circle lying within it on the free, undivided portion of the sporophyll. The sporangia are large, subquadrate with rounded angles, about 5 mm. long and 3 mm. broad, and exhibit on their external surface very fine, slightly bending lines, representing probably the cellular structure of the organ. According to FISCHER, the sterile and fertile whorls are united to each other, or, as he otherwise described it, the fertile whorl may be inserted on the under side of the sterile whorl, t To illustrate more fully the structure of this cone a text-figure, taken from the restoration given by WEISS, is inserted here (p. 1044), \ which at a glance will show the structural characters of the cone of Cingularia typica Weiss. Two specimens of Cingularia typica from Shropshire are figured here ; that at fig. 1 shows portions of two imperfect cones. The sterile bracts are only recognisable at one or two points, by the remains of their free lanceolate portions, and are seen best at fig. la, a. These, however, are very rarely preserved. The sporophylls are also imperfectly seen, and their margins are usually more or less fractured through the cleft of the stone containing the specimen having passed irregularly through them. The fragment of the cone on the right hand shows the axis well, on account of the whorls having been mostly removed, and here it is clearly seen that the ribs do not alternate at the nodes, but pass straight over them in their course up and down the stem (fig. lb, a, a). The other specimen, given at fig. 2, exhibits a fertile whorl from a cone broken

* WEISS,.Steinkohl. Calamarien, Heft i, pi. vi, fig. 5. + Mitt. d. Naturforschenden Gesell. in Bern, Jahrg. 1893, p. 5. J Steinkohl. Calamarien, Heft i, pi. ix, figs. 3, 4, and 6. 1044 DE R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. B. L. DIXON. across at right angles to the axis. The secondary shorter clefts are not very clearly seen, as in some cases their extreme marginal parts are slightly buried in the matrix, but they can be observed at one or two points on the enlargement (fig. 2a). WEISS distinguishes a var. major and a var. minor, of Cingularia typica; the former has twelve principal lappets in the fertile whorl, and the latter ten. The English specimens, as seen from fig. 2, belong to the var. minor, but these differences in the numbers of the parts do not seem to be of much value. Jt has been thought by WEISS that possibly the fossil figured by BRONN as

.-•CL

B. C. TEXT-FIG. 4.—Cingularia typica Weiss. (Copied from WEISS.) A, Restoration of portion of a cone showing a sterile whorl, a, of which the bracts are united at their base to form a flat, disc-like collar round the stem; b, the fertile whorl, in which the sporophylls are also grown together at the base, but at their distal extremity are divided into two truncate segments, V and b', to whose lower surface are attached the sporangia s' and s'. The sporangia s" and s'are attached to the undivided portion of the sporophyll b" and b". B shows one of the sporophylls as seen from above, with part of the concentric line I at the base of the free quadrate terminal portions. C shows the under surface of a sporophyll; I, the concentric line ; «', s', the scars of the two outer sporangia on the truncate free extremities of the sporophyll ; s", s", the scars of the two innor sporangia on its undivided portion. Equisetum infundibuliforme, from the Coal Measures of Saarbruck, may be a specimen of Cingularia typica on which the sterile whorls only are seen.* It has been suggested by SCHUSTER that the plant described by ZALESSKY as Equisetum Kidstoni t might be Cingularia typica ; but even if it should eventually be shown to belong to Cingularia, the sheaths seem to have much too large a circum- ference for reference to Cingularia typica Weiss. The possibility of Sphenophyllum cornutum Lesqx.J being referable to Cingularia

* BRONN, in BISOHOPF, I.e., pi. iv, fig. 4, 1828 ; copied by BRONGNIAR!T, Hist. d. v4git. fost., p. 119, pi. xii, fig. 16. BRONN'S specimen is certainly specifically distinct from the other specimens which BKONGNIART includes under the name of Equisetum infundibuliforme (=Macrostachya infundibuliformis). f " Contributions a la flore fossile du terrain houil. du Donetz," part i, Bull. ComitS geol. (St Pe'tersbourg), vol. xxvi, p. 359, pi. xiii, fig. 6a ; pi. xvi, figs. 1, 2, 3, 1907 ; ibid., part ii, p. 424, pL xxi, fig. 5,1907. \ Geol. Survey of Illin., vol. iv, p. 421, pi. xix, figs. 1,2 (right-hand fig.), 3-5,1870; Goal Flora, p. 57, pi. lvi, fig.5 . FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1045 typica has also been pointed out; but if the figures of this plant correctly represent the structure of the fossil, its belonging to Cingularia is most improbabje. Locality.—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Coal, Westphalian Series. (Fig. 1, Pr. 1350 ; fig. 2, Pr. 1261.)

Oingularia Oantrilli Kidston n. sp. PL I, figs. 3-5. Description.—Stem, leaves, and mode of attachment of cones not known. Cone large, l'2O cm. wide, but complete length unknown. Axis stout, about 4 mm. broad, ribbed and distinctly striated longitudinally. Whorls close, about 80 mm. distant from each other, slightly overlapping, and formed of ten sporophylls without an accompanying whorl of sterile bracts. Sporophylls about 1 cm. long and 0'5 cm. wide, united in their lower portions for about half their length, and forming a saucer-like collar round the axis. A short distance below the free portions, the sporophylls form a knee bending upwards and surrounding the axis as a cup-like structure divided into ten truncate segments, each of which is again divided into two lappets by a cleft which extends inwards rather more than half the distance of the free part of the sporophyll. The upper surface of the sporophyll shows a furrow, which, rising at the outer margin a slight distance below the apex, slopes obliquely inwards and, ending at the base of the cleft, divides the sporophyll into two parts. On each of the two free lappets is a small circular point, and immediately within them on the united part of the sporophyll are two additional small circular prominences. These indicate the position of the four sporangia on the under side of the sporophyll. The under surface of the sporophyll shows two prominent ridges that run obliquely across the two lappets of the sporophyll and end at the base of the cleft. On the two free lappets of the sporophylls so delimited an outer concentric row of small circular scars is seen, one on each lappet, and on the upper part of the united portion of the sporophyll another inner concentric circle of small round scars occurs; these scars indicate the points from which the two concentric rows of sporangia have been removed. Sporangia unknown. Remarks.—Only two specimens of this cone have been found, both of which come from the same horizon and locality. The small portion seen at fig. 3 and those given at figs. 4 and 5, of which fig. 5 is the counterpart of fig. 4.* Fig. 3 probably shows the upper surface of a portion of two fertile whorls, natural size, on which the sporophylls have been bent downwards, and the same specimen is

• Fig. 4 is formed of Nos. Pr. 1256 and 1257, which are now joined together, and fig. 5 of Nos. Pr. 1258 and 1259. 1046 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

enlarged two times at fig. 3a. * At a and a, fig. 3a, are seen the two oblong truncate lappets of the sporophyll, which are formed by a cleft that extends inwards as far as the dotted line a. From the base of the cleft a furrow extends a little further inwards, but dies out on reaching the collar that surrounds the stem as a circular disc, b. At a and a" two oblique furrows sloping inwards mark the limit of the cleft which forms the two quadrate free lappets. At c and c a concentric circle of small pit-like depressions are seen ; these indicate the position of the outer concentric circle of sporangia, which were attached to the lower surface of the sporophyll, and at c and c are seen the scars of the inner concentric row of sporangia. From the part marked a inwards the sporophylls are united to each other and form a disc-like sheath which surrounds the axis. The full length of the exposed portion of the sporophyll is 1'2 cm., but probably a small part is hidden by the free part of the whorl below extending slightly over it, and its width at the extremity is 4'5 mm. The terminal lappets are individually a little over 2 mm. wide, and the length of the cleft which separates them is from 5 to 6 mm. long. A more perfect fragment of a cone, which is about 11 cm. long and 2'2 cm. broad, is given at figs. 4 and 5, natural size. The whorls are closely placed, being about 80 mm. apart; the axis seen at a is about 4 mm. broad (figs. 5 and 5a), and has prominent ribs, of which there are five on the exposed surface. The ribs are distinctly striated longitudinally. Neither the apex nor the base of the cone is preserved, but the remaining portion indicates that it must have been of considerable size. The whorls consist entirely of sporophylls, and they have been bent upwards so that they exhibit their lower surface. Only half of the sporophylls which compose the whorls are exhibited, and as there are five shown, probably ten was the complete number in a whorl. The basal portions of the sporophylls are united into a collar which surrounds the stem. This is specially well seen on the counterpart given at fig. 5, of which a portion is enlarged two times at fig. 5a, where, at b, the collar is seen surrounding the axis a. The sporophylls in this species do not, however, appear to have spread directly outwards as in Cingularia typica, for at f, on fig. 5a, a distinct knee is formed within the united portions of the sporophylls, from which level they appear to bend upwards somewhat suddenly. The cleft which divides them into two smaller lappets terminates at the inner ends of the folds, of which one is seen at g. The sporophylls bore four sporangia, one on each of the smaller lappets, forming an outer concentric circle of which the points of their attachment can be seen at d' and d", and an inner concentric circle, seen at e and e . None of the sporangia are preserved on the specimen. Irrespective of other differences, such as the size of the cone and the cup-like * Figs. 3 and 3a have been placed on the plate in inverted position. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1047 form of the whorls of sporophylls, Cingularia Cantrilli is at once distinguished from Cingularia typica by the entire absence of whorls of sterile bracts in the cone. Some might perhaps think that the absence of sterile bract whorls in the cone is of sufficient importance for the exclusion of our specimen from the genus Cingularia, but the entire agreement in the structure of the sporophylls and the position of the sporangia, with those of Cingularia, altogether outweighs in importance the minor fact that the cones do not possess sterile whorls. If a precedent for this course were wanted, the case of Sphenophyllum fertile Scott

TEXT-FIG. 5.—Cingularia Cantrilli Kidston. Diagrammatic representation of a whorl of sporophylls seen from below, a, Rrbbed and striated axis, b, United bases of sporophylls forming a saucer-shaped collar round axis, c, Level at which the sporophylls become free, d, Cleft dividing the sporophylls into two lappets, «, e, limited below by furrows/. The scars e', e' of the outer concentric circle, and g, the • scars of the inner concentric circle of sporangia. The four sporangia of a sporophyll, k', h' and h", h". Knee caused by the upward bending of the sporophylls, i. may be mentioned,* where no sterile appendages occur in the fructification, but which are present in the other described cones of the genus. I have much pleasure in naming this species of Cingularia after Mr T. CROSBEE CANTRILL, B.SC, to whom I am so much indebted for my knowledge of the Wyre Forest geology. Locality.—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Collected by Mr J. PRINGLE. (Pr. 1260, fig. 3 ; Pr. 1256, 1257, forming fig. 4 ; and Pr. 1258, 1259, fig.5. )

* SCOTT, "On a New Type of Sphenophyllaceous Cone (Sphenophyllum fertile) horn the Lower Coal Measures," Phil. Trans., set. B, vol. eicviii, p. 17, pis. iii-v, 1905. TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 148 1048 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Sigillaria Boblayi Brongt. PI. IV, figs. 3 and 3a. 1836. Sigillaria Boblayi, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 446, pi. cliv. 1857. „ ,, Goldenberg, Flora Sarxp. foss., Heft ii, p. 37, pi. x, fig. 15. 1886. ,, „ Zeiller, Florefoss. bassin howl. d. Valen., p. 572, pi. lxxxiii, figs. 1-3. 1904. ,, „ Zalessky, " Veget. foss. du bassin du Donetz," Mem. du Gomite geol. (StPeters- bourg), nouv. se"r., livr. xiii, p. 120, pi. x, fig. 5; pi. xi, fig. 10; and text- fig. 11, p. 71. 1905. ,, „ Koehne, in Potonie (}>ars), Abbild. u. Beschreib. foss. Pflanzm-Reste, Lief, iii, No. 57, figs. 1-4. 1914. ,, „ Arber, Phil. Trans., ser. B, vol. cciv, p. 419, pi. xxviii, fig. 22. 1836. Sigillaria elliptica var. /3, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. foss., vol. i, p. 447, pi. clii, figs. 1, 2. 1882. ,, ,, Weiss, Aus d. Steink., p. 5, pi. i, fig. 6 (Zweiter Abdruck). 1881. Sigillaria hexagonalis, Achepohl, Niederrh. Westfal. Steink., p. 72, pi. xxi, fig. 10. 1879. Sigillaria mamillaris, Lesqx. (non Brongt.) (pars), Goal Flora, p. 483, pi. lxxii, fig. 6. 1912. Sigillaria trigona, Arber (non Sternb.), Phil. Trans, ser. B, vol. ccii, p. 253, pi. xii, fig. 11.

Description.—Stem ribbed, ribs straight or slightly undulating. Leaf scars distant, but sometimes only separated by a space of not more than from ^ to J their own length, and occupying from ^ to f the width of the rib, hexagonal or hexagonal- pyriform, upper half contracted with somewhat concave sides, flattened and slightly emarginate at top; basal portion of scar rounded, with frequently two blunt points where the sides join the more flattened base, and from which occasionally two short divergent ridges are given off. Lateral angles pointed, prominent, and give rise to two diverging lines which speedily reach the furrow, where they die out. Cicatricules situated about ^ the length of the scar from its upper margin, central punctiform, and in a line with the centre of the two lateral straight or lunate cicatricules. Immediately above the leaf scar is the ligule pit, and a short distance above it is a transverse furrow which occupies about half the width of the rib. Between the transverse furrow and the summit of the leaf scar, the cortex is ornamented with short, bent, transverse ridges; and extending from the base of the leaf scar to the furrow is a broad band of strongly marked, short somewhat irregular transverse ridges ; marginal areas of ribs smooth or faintly striated. " Cone scars borne at the edge of the ribs close to the furrows, forming a band round the stem, irregularly placed, rounded or elliptical, sometimes deformed and polygonal, 5 to 10 mm. long and 4 to 5 mm. broad, having in the centre a strongly marked cicatrice, and deforming the leaf scars among which they are placed" (ZEILLER). Sub-cortical surface of stem strongly striated longitudinally. Remarks.—Though the distance of the leaf scars in this species varies somewhat, they never seem to be quite so far apart as the length of a leaf scar, and are usually much closer. When the leaf scar is fully exposed, the lateral angles are very prominent; but FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1049 in impressions they are sometimes obscured by the ridges formed by the casts of the furrows being bent slightly over them. Sigillaria Boblayi has some similarity to Sigillaria scutellata Brongt.* and to Sigillaria mamillaris Brongt.,t but from the former it differs in the leaf scars being more distinctly hexagonal, a little larger and more closely placed to each other, and from the latter in its larger leaf scars and the ornamentation of the cortex, which is stronger and more evenly distributed in the form of a longitudinal band. The specimen figured by Dr ABBER as Sigillaria trigona (I.e.) appears to belong to Sigillaria Boblayi. In Sigillaria trigona Sternb. the ribs are flexuous and the transverse furrows extend across the whole width of the rib, dividing it into com- partments, and the concavity of the transverse bars also faces upwards. In Sigillaria Boblayi, on the other hand, the transverse furrow only occupies the central \ or § of the rib, and any slight concavity it may possess faces downwards. Sigillaria trigona belongs, in fact, to the Favularia section, while Sigillaria Boblayi is a member of the Rhytidolepis section of Sigillaria. j To Sigillaria Boblayi I would also refer the specimen ascribed to Sigillaria mamillaris by LESQUEBEUX in his Coal Flora, pi. lxxii, fig. 6. The leaf scars on this example are typically those of Sigillaria Boblayi. Locality.—Kinlet Colliery, 1 mile S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Seam. Westphalian Series. Collected by Mr J. PBINGLE (Pr. 1480).

Sigillaria Candollei Brongt. PI. IV, figs. 1, la, 2, 2a. 1836. Sigillaria Gandollii,BTOngt., Hist. d. viget. foss., p. 463, pi. cl, fig. 4. 1857. „ „ Goldenberg, Flora Sarsep. foss., Heft ii, p. 44, pi. viii, fig. 11. 1870. „ ,, Schimper, Traite d. paleont. veget., vol. ii, p. 86. 1890. Siyillaria Candollei, Grand'Eury, Geol. et paleont. du bassin houil. du Gard, p. 253, pi. x, fig. 7. Description.—Stem ribbed, ribs straight, convex. Leaf scars distant from each other from 1 j to 2\ times their own length, and occupying about \ to \ the width of the rib, oval, about 1 \ times as long as broad, narrowed towards upper end, rounded below and above, lateral angles scarcely observable. Cicatricules three, and placed about § above base ; central punctiform, the lateral elongate and slightly lunate. Immediately above the leaf scars is a ligule pit. Surface of rib ornamented by a band of delicate sculpture which consists of a few stronger obliquely transverse lines immediately below the leaf scar (fig. 2), sometimes very faintly indicated, or even absent (fig. l), which speedily die out, and a few similar markings above the * Hist. d. vdget.foss., p. 533, pi. 1, figs. 2, 3 ; pi. clxiii, fig.3 . t Ibid., p. 451, pi. cxlix, fig. 1. \ See KIDSTON, Trans. Boy. Soc. Edin., vol. 1, p. 14Q, pi. xii, figs. 2-4, 1914. 1050 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

leaf scar ; between these the intermediate part of the band bears closely placed, fine, very short longitudinal lines which can only be clearly seen with the aid of a lens. The lateral margins of the ribs are faintly striated longitudinally. Remarks.—Two specimens of Sigillaria Candollei are given on PI. IV, figs. 1 and 2. The example given at fig. 1 is from an older stem than that seen at fig. 2. The leaf scars are ovate and can scarcely be said to possess lateral angles. Both the upper and lower margins are rounded, and immediately above the leaf scar the ligule pit is situated. This is placed so close to the leaf-scar margin in some cases that it almost rests upon it and causes a very slight flattening of its surface. The example given at fig. 2 is from a younger stem, and the ornamentation is slightly stronger than on the specimen seen at fig. 1. The leaf scars also occupy a somewhat larger portion of the ribs, but these differences I believe to be due to the different ages of the specimens. The ornamentation of the ribs is much more delicate than that of Sigillaria rugosa Brongt., which has a distinctly continuous band of punctate-rugose ornamentation and a plume-like marking above the leaf scar, which in Sigillaria Candollei is absent. The lateral angles of Sigillaria rugosa Brongt. are also more prominent than those of Sigillaria Candollei Brongt., though in the former species they are frequently obscured. Locality.—Kinlet Colliery, 1 mile S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon. — Shales associated with the Brooch Seam. Westphalian Series. (Fig. 1, Pr. 1476 ; fig. 2, Pr. 1489.)

Sigillaria nudicaulis Boulay. PI. Ill, figs. 2, 2a, 3, 3a. 1876. Sigillaria nudicaulis, Boulay, Le terr. fiouil. du Nord de la France, p. 42, pi: iii, figs. 4 and 4 bis. (Excl. syn.) 1886. „ „ Zeiller, Florefoss. bassin houil. d. Valen., p. 524, pi. lxxxiii, fig. 6. 1910. cf. „ . „ Deltenre in Renier, Paleont., pi. xxix. Description.—Stem ribbed, furrows straight, leaf sears distant, orbicular or oval, upper margin slightly emarginate, lower margin rounded, lateral angles not prominent, rounded, with or without short decurrent lines; cicatricules three, central punctiform, lateral straight, extending below the vascular cicatricule. Ligule pit situated immediately above the leaf scar. Outer surface of cortex bears a few more or less obscure lines above the ligule pit, and sometimes a few short transverse wrinkles immediately below the leaf scar; other portions of the rib surface are very faintly striated longitudinally, but all the ornamentation is so delicate that to the unaided eye the cortex appears to be smooth. Decorticated surface longitudinally striated. Remarks.—The specimen given at PI. Ill, fig. 2, of which a portion is enlarged FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1051

two times at fig. 2a, has somewhat closer placed leaf scars than the examples figured by BOULAY and ZEILLER, but is otherwise quite typical of the species. According to ZEILLER, the distance of the leaf scars apart varies from 45 to 50 mm. ; on our specimen they are only about half that distance from one another, but this character is one which is subject to great variation. The ornamentation both above and below the leaf scars is very delicate, and in some cases appears to be absent. The longitudinal striation is also very faint, so that the ribs might almost be described as smooth. This is seen on fig. 2, and fig. 2a shows the slight ornament the cortex possesses. I refer to this species provisionally the specimen given on PL III, figs. 3 and 3a. Here the leaf scars are placed closer to each other and, though not much more so than on one of BOTTLAY'S figures, are a little more oval; but the smooth longitudinally striated surface of the cortex is similar to that of the specimen described above. This is not well seen on the figures, as they have been photographed with the light striking them parallel with the ribs, to show more distinctly the form of the leaf scars. I have failed to distinguish any definite character on this specimen by which it can be separated from the example given at fig. 1, except in the occasional occurrence of a faint plumose ornamentation immediately above the leaf scar (fig. 3a). I am inclined to think that the specimen figured by M. DELTENRE * as Sigillaria nudicaulis does not belong to that species. He gives no description or enlargement of the specimen, but so far as one can observe from the figure there seems to be a distinct band of ornamentation occupying the central area of the ribs and connecting the leaf scars. This can be seen on the upper right-hand portion of his figure. The plant appears to be similar to a specimen I have from the Yorkshire Coal P'ield, but which I regard as specifically distinct from Sigillaria nudicaulis Boulay. Both of the specimens figured here are from the same locality and horizon. Locality.—Kinlet Colliery, 1 mile S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Seam. Westphalian Series. (Fig. 2, Pr. 1530 ; fig. 3, Pr. 1487.)

Sigillaria distans Sauveur. PL IV, figs. .4, 4a; PL V, figs-. 10, 10a. 1848. Sigillaria distans, Sauveur, Veget. foss. d. terr. houil. de la Belgique, pi. lv, fig. 1 (sine descriptione). Description.—Stem ribbed, furrows straight, leaf scars distant, sub-hexagonal, longer than broad, or about as broad as long ; upper margin round with very shallow notch, lower margin obtusely pointed or rounded; lateral angles rounded, distinct, and from which descend two decurrent furrows which first bend slightly outwards and then turn inwards towards each other, dying out before they reach the next * In RENIER, Documents pour Vetude de la paleont. du terr. houil., pi. xzix, 1910. 1052 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON. lower leaf scar. From the sides of the leaf scar above the lateral angles, two furrows extend upwards and terminate within the extremity of the lateral furrows about half way towards the leaf scar next above. Within the leaf scar and about ^ from its summit are three cicatricules, the central punctiform, the two lateral elongate, straight, slightly diverging, and extending below the vascular bundle cicatricule. Immediately above and resting on the upper margin of the leaf scar is the ligule pit, from which radiate a few delicate short lines; other portions of the cortex are smooth with the exception of a few faint longitudinal striae which are especially seen on the marginal areas of the ribs. Remarks.—Different opinions have been expressed as to the specific value of Sigillaria distans Sauveur.* BOULAY believed it to be similar to his Sigillaria nudicaulis,^ while ZEILLER refers it to Sigillaria lcevigata.\ Whatever may be the true systematic position of Sigillaria distans Sauveur, I think that there can be no doubt that the plant figured here on PL IV, fig. 4, and PI. V, fig. 10, is SAUVEUR'S " species." The two furrows which extend upwards from the upper margin of the leaf scar, which are less distant from each other than the furrows descending from the lateral angles, and which die out within the extremities of the latter, produce a character which does not appear to be accidental and which is also seen more or less clearly in SAUVEUR'S figure. The basal line of the leaf scar of our specimen appears to be slightly more pointed than on some of the leaf scars in SAUVEUR'S illustration, but it is impossible to place any great value on this distinction, as he gives no enlargement of the form of the leaf scar, and on his figure some are more pointed at the base than others. There are also a few faint radiating lines which spring from the neighbourhood of the ligule pit on our example, but these are too faint to be seen on the fossil without the aid of a lens. The leaf scars are somewhat closer on the English than on the Belgian specimen, but this is a character liable to considerable variation, even on the same example. SAUVEUR gives no description of the specimen figured in his work, which makes the identification of his species much more difficult; but, judging from what data his figure affords, there does not appear to be a single essential point of difference by which the specimen figured here can be distinguished from his Sigillaria distans. The next question to be considered is the specific individuality of Sigillaria distans—whether it should be referred to Sigillaria nudicaidis Boulay, as proposed by that author, or to Sigillaria Isevigata, as suggested by ZEILLER, or be regarded as a true species. * The Sigilluria distans, Geinitz, Darstellung d. Flora d. Hainiehen Ebersdorfer, etc., p. 61, pi. xiii, figs. 4-6, 1854, does not belong to SAUVEUE'S species. f Le ten. houil. du Nord de la France, p. 42, pi. iii, figs. 4 and 4 bis. J Flare foss. bassin houil. d. Valen., pp. 521 and 525. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1053

From typical Sigillaria Isevigata Brongt.* the specimen figured here differs in the presence of the furrows extending upwards from the leaf scars and the delicate plume-like lines which spring from the neighbourhood of the ligule pit, as well as in the more oblong form of the leaf scars than usually shown on Sigillaria Isevigata, and these differences make me hesitate to refer Sigillaria distans to that species ; but it is possible that these differences may be dependent on the different ages of the specimens under comparison. I figure here also a portion of a specimen of a Sigillaria from the " Bottom Coal," Chimney Colliery, Angelbank, Titterstone Clee (PI. V, figs. 10, 10a). This I also refer to Sigillaria distans Sauveur. The leaf scars are smaller in proportion to the width of the ribs, and occupy rather less than one-third their breadth! In form they vary, some being oval, and others rather broader than long (fig. 10a). The leaf scars, which have a slight ornamentation above them, as already described (fig. 10a), have the upward-extending lines from the top margin and the decurrent lines from their lateral angles. In this example there is perhaps a nearer approach to Sigillaria leBvigata Brongt., but the characters possessed by the specimen make me hesitate to refer it to BRONGNIART'S species. On the other hand, in all its salient characters it agrees with the other specimen (PI. IV, fig. 4) which I have referred to S. distans Sauveur. From Sigillaria nudicaulis Boulay, Sigillaria distans differs in the presence of the long decurrent furrows from the lateral angles, as well as in the furrows which extend upwards from the upper margin of the leaf scar, differences which seem to preclude the possibility of uniting these two species, t I therefore for the present prefer to regard Sigillaria distans Sauveur provisionally as a distinct species, though believing in the possibility of its having been founded on a young condition of Sigillarih laevigata Brongt. Locality.—Kinlet Colliery, 1 mile S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with the Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Collected by Mr J. PRINGLE (Pr. 1485). (PI. IV, figs. 4, 4a.) Locality.—Chimney Colliery, Angelbank, Titterstone Clee Hill, Shropshire. Horizon.—Bottom Coal. Westphalian Series (K. 1413). (PI. V, figs. 10, 10a.)

Sigillaria Pringlei Kidston n. sp. Plate III, figs 1, la. Description.—Stem ribbed, ribs straight, broad in proportion to size of leaf scar, smooth. Leaf scars distant, small, broader than high (transversely oval), upper margin slightly emarginate, lower margin rounded, lateral angles prominent and from which descend two very short decurrent lines. Cicatricules three, placed

* Hist. d. v/get.fots., p. 471, pi. cxliii. + See ante, p. 1050, pL iii, figs. 2, 3. 1054 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

slightly above the middle of the leaf scar, the central punctifprm, the two lateral oval, straight or very slightly diverging. The ligule pit rests on the upper margin of the leaf scar within the sinus. Remarks.—The only specimen discovered is that shown on PI. Ill, fig. 1, where it is given natural size, and a small portion is enlarged two times at fig. la. The ribs are 1'3 mm. broad, and their surface is entirely without ornamentation. A few longitudinal crack-like lines are seen at some places on their surface, but they seem to be accidental. The leaf scars only occupy about ^ of the width of the rib and are 5 mm. wide and 3"5 mm. high, and stand about 3'25 cm. distant from each other. The form of the leaf scars is somewhat similar to those of Sigillaria reniformis Brongt.,* but they are more transversely oval and not sub-hexagonal as in that species. Sigillaria Pringlei further differs in the absence of the transverse furrow above the leaf scars and in the greater distance of the scars apart, as well as in the absence of the division of the rib into three longitudinal areas by the long decurrent lateral lines which descend from the leaf scars of Sigillaria reniformis. Locality.—Kinlet Colliery, 1 mile S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Seam. Westphalian Series. Collected by Mr J. PRINGLE (Pr. 1529).

Sigillaria transversalis Brongt. PL II, figs. 2-4. 1836. Sigillaria transversalis, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. foss., i, p. 450, pi. clix, fig. 3. 1857. „ „ Goldenberg, Flora Sarsep. foss., Heft ii, p. 37, pi. x, fig. 17. 1886. „ „ Zeiller, More foss. bassin houil. d. Valen., p. 531, pi. lxxxviii, fig. 1, (text 1888). 1904. „ „ Koehne, " Sigillarienstamme," Abhandl. d. k. preuss. Geol. Landesanstalt, p. 56 (text-fig. 9 ?). 1904. ,, „ , Zalessky, Mem. du Gomite geol., nouv. ser., livr. xiii, p. Ill, pi. x, fig. 1 ; pi. xiii, fig. 6. 1914. „ „ Arber, Phil. Trans., ser. B, vol. cciv, p. 398, pi. xxviii, fig. 19. 1876. Sigillaria transversalis var. sparsifolia, Boulay, Terr, houil. d. Nord de la France, p. 47, pi. iv, fig. 4. 1894. Sigillaria typus Rhytidolepis, Potonie, Jahrb. d. k. preuss. geol. Landesanstalt, p. 26, pi. iii, fig. 1. Description.—Stem ribbed, furrows straight or slightly undulating. Leaf scars distant, occupying from about f to the whole width of rib, transversely lenticular or oval, usually broader than high, upper margin rounded with a prominent notch, lower margin rounded ; lateral angles prominent, placed about the centre of the sides, and from which descend two diverging lines that soon terminate in the furrow. Cicatricules three, placed slightly above the centre of the leaf scar, the central

* BRONGNIART, Hist, d. veget. foss., p. 470, pi. oxlii ; ZEILLER, Florefoss. basrin houil. d. Valen, p. 556, pi. lxxxiv, figs. 4-6. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1055

(vascular) punctiform or transversely lunate, the two lateral oblong, straight or diverging. The ligule pit is situated immediately above the leaf scar, and a short distance above the ligule pit is a transverse furrow, which is sometimes very indistinctly defined. The outer surface of the cortex is smooth, or ornamented with very fine irregular longitudinal lines which sometimes are crossed by fine transverse lines. Sub-cortical surface longitudinally striated. Remarks.—The collection contains only three small fragments of this species, one of which is shown natural size at fig. 3, and enlarged two times at fig. 3a. The leaf scars on this fragment are transversely oval, but only occupy about | of the width of the ribs. The delicate surface ornamentation is seen on the enlargement given at fig. 3a, and consists of short, fine irregular lines, which make an imperfect reticulum. On the same specimen, towards the upper end, where the epidermal layer seems to have been removed, the exposed surface exhibits a fine granulation. Another small fragment is given at fig. 2, natural size. Here, the upper surface of the cortex is quite smooth and the transverse furrows and ligule pit (above the lower scar) are more clearly seen. Another fragment, enlarged two times at fig. 4, shows the outer surface of the cortex to be also quite smooth. The ornamentation is very delicate, and its degree of prominence may be consequent on the state of preservation of the specimen, and the granulation sometimes seen may depend on a partial decay of the epidermal surface. The var. sparsifolia, as its name indicates, has more distant leaf scars than the type, and they generally occupy a smaller portion of the rib and usually have a greater height in proportion to their breadth, but the variety and the type are connected by intermediate forms.* Sigillaria transversalis Brongt. is rare in Britain. Localities.—Roadside, 120 yards N.E. of Furnace Mill, \ mile N.W. of Wyre Forest Station, near Cleobury Mortimer. (Fig. 2, Pr. 1420 ; fig. 3, Pr. 1451 ; fig. 4, Pr. 1419.) Kinlet Colliery, Kinlet (ARBER). Horizon.—Westphalian Series.

Sigillaria reticulata Lesquereux. PI. II, figs. 1, la-lc. 1860. Sigillaria reticulata, Lesqx., in Owen, Second Report. Geol. Reconnoissanee of Arkansas: Bot. and Palseont. Report, p. 310, pi. iii, fig. 2. 1880. „ „ Lesqx. (pars), Goal Flora, vol. ii, p. 473 (non pi. lxxiii, figs. 19, 19a). 1886. „ ,. Zeiller, Florefoss. bassin houil. d. Valen., p. 587, pi. lxxxviii, fig. 2. 1883. „ „ Lesqx., Indiana: Rept. of the State Geologist, No. 13, part ii, "Palaeontology," p. 92 (non descr. non pL xx, fig. 6). 1910. ,, „ Renier, Paleont., pi. xxxiii.

* ZEILLER, Florefoss. bassin houil. d. Valen., p. 532. TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 149 1056 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Description. — Stem not ribbed. Leaf scars distant, arranged in vertical rows, the leaf scars of one row alternating with those of the row on each side of it, varying somewhat in their proportion of height to breadth, but generally broader than high; upper margin with a deep notch, lower margin rounded or sometimes slightly pointed, with frequently concave sides; lateral angles very prominent, usually on a line with the internal cicatricules, but sometimes on a slightly lower level. Cicatricules three, placed about | the length of the scar from the top, the central punctiform, and on a line with the middle of the two lateral oblong cicatricules, which are parallel or diverge slightly outwards. Ligule pit situated within the notch on the upper margin of the leaf scar and frequently difficult to observe. Beneath the leaf scar is a sub-triangular area which is sometimes smooth, at other times covered with a faint shagreen or bears a few short transverse bars. Cortex ornamented with short longitudinal more or less fiexuous lines, which impart a shagreen appearance to the surface ; or sometimes the lines of ornamentation are individually longer and less flexuous. Remarks.—Sigillaria reticulata Lesqx. varies both in the details of ornamentation of the cortex and in the form of the leaf scars. Although it is a rare species, in addition to the locality for the specimen here described, I have several examples collected by Mr HEMINGWAY from the Parkgate Coal, Dodworth, Barnsley, and the Thick Coal, Monckton Main Colliery, Barnsley, Yorkshire, from rocks belonging to the Westphalian Series, and among them there is a distinct variation in the details of the surface ornamentation. They mostly show a reticulate shagreen like the specimen illustrated here on PL II, figs. 1 and la. On the specimen figured by ZEILLEB (I.e.) the ornamentation of the cortex seems to consist of longer more or less fiexuous longitudinal lines which do not form so distinct a reticulum or shagreen. On none of the specimens have I been able to observe any short transverse bars on the sub-triangular area below the leaf scars, which in the British specimens is either smooth or bears a more or less distinct reticulation. The leaf scars also vary a little in form, and it may be noticed that on the specimen figured here on PI. II, fig. 1, the leaf scars on the left side of the fossil are only about half the size of those seen on the right bottom corner. They are also higher in proportion to their breadth than the leaf scars on some specimens in my collection, where they are generally very narrow, as figured by ZEILLER. It is frequently very difficult to observe the ligule pit on account of its being situated close up to the margin of the leaf scar within the " notch," but it can be seen at a on the leaf scars enlarged two times at figs. 16 and lc. Mons. l'Abbe CARPENTIER figures what he regards as a variety of Sigillaria FOREST OP WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1057 reticulata Lesqx.,* which differs from the type in that the longitudinal striae are long and continuous and not broken up into short, irregular, flexuous striations to form a reticulum. This author also mentions that on his specimen the area below the leaf sears is devoid of transverse bars. It seems to me possible that the example figured by Mons. l'Abbe CARPENTIER may be specifically distinct from Sigillaria reticulata Lesqx. His specimen appears to show some similarity to the Sigillaria fissa Lesqx. t As already pointed out by ZEILLER, in his subsequent work LESQTJEREUX included under the name of Sigillaria reticulata another species which is specifically distinct from that to which he originally applied the name. The plant represented in the Coal Flora, pi. lxxiii, fig. 19, which has been refigured in the 13th Ann. Rept. of Indiana, 1883, pi. xx, fig. 6, is essentially distinct from that originally described as Sigillaria reticulata, and is easily distinguished by its closer leaf scars, but above all by the ornamentation of the cortex, which consists of a series of transverse lines. Locality.—Roadside, 120 yards N.E. of Furnace Mill, |- mile N.W. of Wyre Forest Station, near Cleobury Mortimer. Horizon.—Westphalian Series. (Pr. 1416.)

Lepidophloios acerosus L. & H. sp. PI. II, fig. 5. 1831. Lepidodendron acerosum, L. & H., Fossil Flora, vol. i, pi. vii, fig. 1, pi. viii. 1893. Lepidophloios acerosus, Kidston, Trans. Roy. Soe. Edin., vol. xxxvii, p. 558, pi. i, figs. 1, la; pi. ii, fig. 9. 1910. „ „ Renier, Paleontologie, pi. viii, a (Ipars). 19H. „ „ Arber, Phil. Trans., ser. B, vol. cciv, p. 396, pi. xxviii, fig. 20. 1854. Lepidodendron brevifolium, Ett., Steinkf. v. Radnitz, p. 53, pi. xxiv, figs. 4 and 5; pi. xxv ; pi. xxvi, fig. 3. 1869. (?) Lepidodendron dichotomum, Roehl (pars) (non Sternb.), Foss. Flora d. Steink. Form. Westph., p. 125, pi. xi. fig. 2. 1862. Lepidophloios laricinum, Goldenburg (non Sternb.) (pars), Flora Sarxp. foss., Heft iii, pp. 32, 34, pi. xv, fig. 9. 1869. (?) Lepidofloios laricinus, Roehl (pars), Foss. Flora d. Steink. Form. Westph., p. 150, pi. xxviii, % 9. 1862. Lspidophloyos macrolepidotum, Goldenberg (pars), Flora Sarxp. foss., Heft iii, pi. xv, fig. 9. 1837. Lepidostrobus pinaster, L. & H., Fossil Flora, vol. iii, pi. cxcviii. 1910. Lepidophloios scoticus, Renier (non Kidston), Paleontologie, pi. xi. Remarks.—Part of a small specimen enlarged two times is given on PL II, fig. 5, as it shows very clearly the form of the leaf bases of this species, which, though fairly common, frequently suffers considerably from pressure. The leaf bases are comparatively long, with the lower part of the sides almost * " Contribution a l'eiude du Carbonifere du Nord de la France," Mem. Soc. Geol. du Nord, vol. vii, part ii, p. 733, pi. vi, fig. 9, 1913. t LESQUEREUX, Geol. of Pennsyl., vol. ii, part ii, p. 871, pi. xiii, fig. 4; Coal Flora, p. 470, pi. lxxiii, fig. 17. 1058 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

straight, but at the upper part they form a rounded shoulder where they join on to the sharp angle of the leaf scar. They are prominently keeled, and the ligule pit is placed in a line with the keel immediately below the leaf scar, for on the younger branches and those of the size of this specimen the leaf base is directed upwards.* There is no evidence to show that in older age they become deflexed in this species, as in other members of the genus. The general form of the exposed portion of the fully developed leaf base is therefore roughly hexagonal, but on very young branches it is more rhomboidal in form. In Lepidophloios laricinus Sternb.f the exposed portion of the leaf bases is much more truly rhomboidal and frequently transversely elongated with pointed lateral angles. Locality.—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Collected by Mr J. PRINGLE (Pr. 1379).

Samaropsis emarginata Goppert and Berger. PI. V, fig. 7.

1848. Gardiocarpon emarginatum, Gdpp. and Berger, Fruetibus et seminibus, p. 24, pi. iii, fig. 35. 1854. „ ,, Geinitz, Darstel. d. Flora d. Hainichen-Ehersdorfer, p. 49, pi. xii, figs. 2-8. 1869. „ „ Roehl, Foss. Flora d. Steink. Form. Westph., p. 153, pi. xxii, fig. 15. 1870. Uardiocarpus emarginahis, Geinitz, Nenes Jahrb., p. 419, pi. iv, fig. 6. 1870. ,, ,, Schimper, Traits d. paleont. veget., vol. ii, p. 221. 1875. Cardioearpum emarginatum, Feistm., Vers. d. Bohm. Kohlenablager, Abth. ii, p. 46, pi. xx, figs. 4-6. 1857. Cyclocarpon emarginatum, Fiedler, " Die foss. Friichte d. Steinkohlen Form.," Nova Act. Acad. Nat. Curios., vol. xxvi, p. 291. 1911. Samaropsis emarginata, Kidston, "Veget. houil. Hainaut Beige,"-Mem. Mush roy. d'hist. nat. Belgique, vol. iv, p. 238, pi. xxii, figs. 3, 3a. 1914. „ „ Arber, Ann. of Bot., vol. xxviii, p. 98, text-fig. 5. 1852. Cardioearpum orbiculare, Ett, Steinhf.'v. Stradonitz, p. 16, pi. vi, fig. 4. 1870. Cardiocarpus orbieularis, Schimper, Traite d. paleont. veget., vol. ii,- p. 224. 1893. „ „ Kidston, Tram. Roy. Soe. Edin., vol. xxxvii, p. 356. 1899. Rhabdocarpus amygdalxformis, Hofmann and Ryba (non Gopp. and Berger), Leitpflanzen, p. 101, pi. xix, fig. 14. Description.—Seed varying in size from l'5O to 2 cm. ; almost circular in form, but slightly narrowed towards apex ; nucule cordate acute, lenticular, occupying about half the area of the seed ; wing broad, slightly narrower at the base than at the apex, where it has a distinct notch or sinus. Remarks.—This species is easily distinguished from Samaropsis Guibieri Geinitz by its broad wing. I have previously proposed the union of Samaropsis annulata Newberry \ with * KIDSTON, Tram. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xxxvii, p. 558, pi. i, fig. J, 1893. t Lepidodendron laricinuin, Sternb., Essaiflore monde prim., vol. i, fasc. i, pp. 23 and 25, pi. xi, figs. 2-4. I Gardiocarpon annulatum, Oeol. Survey of Ohio, vol. i, part ii," Palaeont.," section iii, p. 374, pi. xliii, figs. 8, 8a . FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1059

Samaropsis emarginata Gopp. and Berger, but in NEWBERRY'S species the seed is slightly larger and the wing is broader on the basal margin, so I have deemed it safer to omit this reference. Localities.—At back of building, Cooper's Mill (3rd mill W. of Dowles Church), 1| mile W. of Dowles Church, near Bewdley (K. 2118). Road section, 250 yards N.E. of Cooper's Mill (3rd mill W. of Dowles Church). Horizon.—Westphalian Series.

Samaropsis Gutbieri Geinitz sp. PI. V, fig. 6. 1855. Oardiocarpon Gutbieri, Geinitz, Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, p. 39, pi. xxi, figs. 23-25. 1870. ,, „ Geinitz, Neues Jahrb., p. 420, pi. iv, figs. 1-5 (" Ueber organ. Uberreste aus der Steink. von Langeac, Haute-Loire "). 1888. Cardiocarpus Gutbieri, Kidston, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xxxiii, p. 403, pi. xxiii, fig. 5. 1893. „ „ Potonie, Flora d. Rothl. v. Thiiringen, p. 254, pi. xxxi, figs. 15-19. 1914. ,, ,, Arber, Ann. of Bat., vol. xxviii, p. 97, pi. vi, fig. 15. 1881. Cordaispermum Gutbieri, Kenault, Cows de bot.foss., vol. i, p. 103, pi. xiv, fig. 7. 1874. cf. Cardiocarpus sderotesta, Brongt., and Cardiocarpus selerotesta minor, Brongt., " Graines fossiles trouvees a lMtat silicifie, etc.," Ann. d. Sciences nat.: Bot., 5e sei., vol. xx, pp. 245, 261, pi. xxi, figs. 5, 6. 1881. cf. „ ,, Brongt., and Cardiocarpus selerotesta minor, Brongt., Recher. graines foss. silic, p. 37, pi. A, figs. 5, 6. 1890. „ ,, Renault, More foss. bassin houil. d. Commentry, 2e part., p. 597, pi. lxxii, fig. 3. 1877. cf. Cordaiearpus major, Grand'Eury, Flore Carbon, d. depart, de la Loire, p. 235, pi. xxvi, fig. 16 (nucule). 1890. cf. „ ,, Renault, Flore foss. d. bassin houil. d. Commentry, 2" part, p. 600, pi. lxxii, figs. 10, 11 (nucule). 1858. Cardiocarpon Ottonis, Geinitz, Leitpflanzen d. Rothl. u. Zechstein, p. 18, pi. ii, figs. 17, 18 (Oster Programm d. k. Polytech. Schule ssu Dresden). 1861-1862. Cyclocarpon Ottonis, Geinitz, Dyas, p. 150, pi. xxxiv, figs. 6, 7. 1858. Cardiocarpon reniformis, Geinitz, Leitpflanzen d. Rothl. u. d. Zechstein, p. 18, pi. ii, figs. 15, 16. 1861-1862. „ „ Geinitz, Dyas., p. 145, pi. xxxi, fig. 16. Description.—Seed cordate or reniform, longer than broad or broader than long, and varying in size from about 140 cm. to 3 or 3'5 cm. in greatest diameter. Wing narrow and surrounding th*e lenticular nucule on all sides. Surface smooth. Remarks.—The form and size of this seed varies considerably if we unite with it, as done by POTONIE, the Samaropsis reniformis Geinitz sp. and the Samaropsis Ottonis Geinitz sp. These two, except in being somewhat larger than the type, have no other character by which they can be clearly separated. They have the same narrow wing which is characteristic of Samaropsis Gutbieri. On one of the figures of Samaropsis reniformis given by GEINITZ,* the wing seems a little broader than on the majority of the specimens of this species, but the difference is so slight that it can scarcely be regarded as of specific value. The example figured here is identical with that given * Dyas, pi. xxxi, fig. 16. 1060 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

by GEINITZ on his pi. xxi, fig. 25,* only a little smaller. The specimen figured from the Radstock Coal Field f is more of the form of his fig. 23. The nucule of this latter example lifts out of its matrix and shows its original lenticular form. These isolated nucules have given rise to the creation of several species, and of such, which are probably referable to Samarops^s Guibieri, is the Cordaicarpus major of Grand'Eury and Renault. Though the marginal wing of Samaropsis Guibieri is narrower than on most species of the genus, when the seeds are well preserved it is perfectly distinct and morphologically similar to the wing of those Samaropsis on which it attains a greater development. It seems, however, to have been little able to resist decay, so that the seed is frequently represented by the nucule alone. Closely allied to Samaropsis Guibieri, if not specifically identical, is one of the specimens figured by NEWBERRY under the name of Cardiocarpon bicuspidatum (non Sternb.)4 The wing is very slightly broader, but otherwise it agrees perfectly with this species. Locality.—? Railway cutting, -150 yards S.E. of Northwood House, |- mile N. of Bewdley. Horizon.—Westphalian Series.

Oarpolithes membranaceus Goppert. PI. V, figs. 8 and 9, text-fig. 6. 1848. "Saamen," Gdpp., Holland. Preisschrift iiber Steinkohlen, etc., p. 298, pi. xxii, fig. 32, A, B. 1848. Garpolithes membranaceus, Gopp., in Berger, Fructibus et seminibus, p. 25, pi. ii, figs. 19, 20a, 20b. 1864. „ „ Go pp., Foss. Flora perm. Form., p. 178, pi. xxix, figs. 19-21. 1872. Rhabdocarpus (?) oooideus, Weiss (non Gopp.) (pars), Foss. Flora d. jiingst. Steink. u. Eothl., p. 206, pi. xviii, figs. 10-12; (?) figs. 13, 14; fig. 18; (?) fig. 21. 1872. Rhabdocarpus disciformis, Weiss (non Sternb.) (pars), ibid., p. 205, pi. xviii, fig. 16. 1903. Cordaicarpus Cordai, Kidston (non Geinitz), Canonbie, Trans. Roy. Soc. Kdin., vol. xl, p. 800, pi. i, fig. 7. 1911. „ „ Kidston (non Geinitz) (pars), "Vege't. houil. Hainaut Beige," Mem. Musee roy. d'hist. nat. de Belgique, vol. v, p. 240, pi. v, fig. 2; pi. ix, fig. 3. 1912. Cardiocarpus Cordai, Vernon (non Geinitz), Trans. Geol. Soc. London, vol. lxviii, p. 622, pi. lviii, fig. 7. 1914. Cordaicarpus Cordai, Arber (non Geinitz), Ann. of Bot., vol. xxviii, p. 100, pi. vii, fig. 29. 1883. Garpolithes ovoideus, Kidston (non Gopp. and Berger), Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xxxiii, p. 404. 1888. ,, „ Kidston (non Gopp. and Berger), ibid., vol. xxxv. p. 330, plate, fig. 8. 1902. „ „ Kidston (non Gopp. and Berger), Proc. Yorks. Geol. and Polyteeh. Soc, vol. xiv, part iii, p. 367, pi. lii, fig. 1. 19l4. „ „ Kidston (non Gopp. and Berger), S. Staffordshire, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. 1, p. 157. 1914. Gordaicarpus ovoideus, Arber (won Gopp. and Berger), Ann. of Bot., vol. xxviii, p. 100, pi. vii, fig. 30.

* GEINITZ, Vers. de Steinkf. in Sachsen. t Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xxxiii, pi. xxiii, fig. 5. | Geol. Survey of Ohio, vol. i, part ii, " Palaeont.," section iii, p. 373, pi. xliii, fig. 9 (non ?9a), 1873. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1061

Description.—Seed attaining a size of 1 cm. in diameter, sub-circular or oval, sometimes bluntly pointed at apex, more rarely at base, occasionally surrounded by a narrow false wing. Surface smooth. Epidermis formed of thick-walled hexagonal cells. Remarks.—Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp. has been united with Carpolithes (Rhabdocarpus) ovoideus Gopp. and Berger* by WEISS,t and this course, which was followed by most palseobotanists, I also previously adopted. Recently, however, when examining some additional specimens, I have been led to believe that Carpolithes membranaceus must be treated as specifically distinct from Carpolithes ovoideus Gopp. and Berger sp. In both of the descriptions of Carpolithes (Rhabdocarpus) ovoideus, it is stated distinctly that the seed possesses " nerves." In the Permian Flora, GOPPERT gives the following diagnosis : " Seed ovate, rounded unequally on all sides, pericarp with numerous equal veins extending from base towards the apex " ; whereas Carpolithes membranaceus is : " Capsule elliptical, smooth, compressed, seed similar to the capsule." The essential difference between the two seeds is the presence of the " nerves" which are most probably sclerenchymatous fibres in the pericarp in the one, and their absence in the other. The union of the two seeds under one name does not therefore seem to be justified. According to this view, none of the seeds included under Rhabdocarpus (?) ovoideus by WEISS belong to Carpolithes ovoideus Gopp. and Berger sp., for though he refers to folds and furrows, these are the result of crumpling or of deformation through pressure, and he nowhere refers to sclerenchymatous fibres in the pericarp (nerves), whose presence is a distinctive character of many fossil seeds. I believe that the specimens figured by WEISS should mostly be referred to Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp., which as already stated he unites with C. ovoideus Gopp. and Berger. The seeds seem to have had an outer, probably thin, fleshy pericarp and, when subject to pressure, vary in their outer form. Occasionally they are almost circular, as seen in one of GOPPERT'S figures,! but frequently they are more or less oval. Some show a narrow marginal band, but this is merely the soft and flattened pericarp projecting beyond the nucule, not a wing in the true sense of the term.§ I am now satisfied that many specimens figured and described by myself and others under the name of Cordaicarpus Cordai belong to Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp. From "mummified" fragments of the epidermis, GOPPERT was enabled to figure and describe the thick-walled hexagonal cells of which it is composed,! and a small portion of the epidermis of a specimen which has been subjected to the maceration process is given here at text-figure 6. At PI. V, figs. 8, 9, some seeds are shown natural size to illustrate their varying forms.

* Fruct. et semin., p. 22, pL i, fig. 17, 1848. + Foss. Flora d.jungst. Stk. u. Bothl, p. 206. I Foss. Flora perm. Form., pi. ixix, fig. 19. § See KIDSTON, Cordaicarpus Cordai (non Geinitz), " Foss. Plants, Canonbie, etc.," Trans. Boy. Soc. Edin., vol. xl, pi. i, figs. 12, 13. || Gopp. in Berger, Fructibus, etc., pi. ii, fig. 206. 1062 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Locality.—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. (Fig. 9, Pr. 1293.) Locality.—Kinlet Colliery, 1 mile S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. (Fig. 8, Pr. 1527.) Horizon.—Both from shales associated with Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Locality.—At back of building, Cooper's Mill (3rd mill W. of Dowles Church), lj mile W. of Dowles Church, near Bewdley. Horizon.—Westphalian Series.

TKXT-FJG. 6.—C'arpolithes membranaceus Gopp. Epidermis enlarged. Locality.—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Brooch Coal, Westphalian Series. From photo by Mr TAMS, kindly lent by Prof. SEWARD. Locality.—Dowles Brook, small cliff on S. side of stream where small stream joins the main stream, 250 yards W.S.W. of Cooper's Mill. Horizon.—Same horizon as beds at Cooper's Mill. Westphalian Series. Locality.—Kail way cutting, 150 yards S.B. of North wood House, \ mile N. of Bewdley. Horizon.—Westphalian Series.

Carpolithesareolatus Boulay sp. PL V, figs. 1. and la. 1879. Cardiocarpus (Cordaicarpus) areolatus, Boulay, "Kecher. d. paleont. veget. d. le terr. houil. d. Nord de la France," p. 34, Ann. Soc. scientifique d. Bruxelles, 4me annee, 1880, 2e part. 1886. Cordaicarpus areolatus, Zeiller, Florefoss. bassin houil. d. Valen., p. 646, pi. xciv, fig. 12. 1914. ,, „ Arber, Annals of Botany, vol. xxviii, p. 100, text-fig. 7. 1911. Oarpolithes areolatus, Boulay, Revue generate de Bot., vol. xxiii, p. 8. 1911. „ „ Kidston, "Veget. houil. Hainaut Beige," Mem. Musee roy. d'hist nat. de Belgique, vol. iv, p. 244, pi. v, figs. 5-7. 1911. ,, ,, Garpentier, Revue generate de Bot., vol. xxiii, p. 8. 1879. Sporocystis planus, Lesqx., Atlas to the Coal Flwa, p. 13, pi. lxix, figs. 15, 15a, text p. 458,1880. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1063

Description.—Seeds oval or sub-circular, 4 to 6 mm. in greatest diameter, rounded at base and sometimes bluntly pointed at apex. Outer surface showing an irregular reticulation formed of meshes caused by a series of ridges on the outer surface of the pericarp. Remarks.—A small slab containing some seeds is given on PL V, fig. 1, and a few individuals are seen enlarged two times at fig. la. As in Carpolithes membranaceus their form varies somewhat. They have occasionally a rounded base and blunt- pointed apex as seen in fig. 1, and especially in the specimen at the upper left-hand corner of the enlargement, but at other times they are more oval and blunt at both ends. The chief character which separates this species from Carpolithes membranaceus is the mesh-like reticulation of its outer surface. These meshes are formed by a crumpling of the pericarp, which results in a series of ridges that divide it into irregular mesh-like reticulations. The meshes are roughly hexagonal, sometimes longer than broad or of almost equal length and breadth, but frequently of varying size. Originally I thought that the reticulations might be formed by a sclerenchymatous network, but further knowledge of the seeds has compelled me to abandon this view and regard them as mere ridge-like foldings of the pericarp. It has been suggested by BOULAY * and ZEILLER t that Carpolithes areolatus Boulay sp. may be the seeds of Cordaites borassifolius Sternb. sp., but this appears to me scarcely probable, and that the association of the seeds with the leaves of that plant was merely accidental. I possess three specimens of Sporocystis planus Lesqx. which I received from the late Mr R. D. LACOE \ that do not differ in any essential character from Carpolithes areolatus Boulay sp. LESQTJEBETJX supposed that his fossils were sporangia and that the irregular mesh-work they exhibited was caused by the impress of contained flat spores. He further states that the meshes are " marked with very small central mamillse." This is shown on his enlargement, fig. 15a, but not on his fig. 15, which is similar to the specimens in my possession. There does not appear to be any character by which Sporocystis planus can be separated from Carpolithes areolatus. Locality.—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Natural size. (Rh. 3607.) (PI. V, figs. 1, la.) Locality.—Dowles Brook, small cliff on S. side of stream where small stream joins the main stream, 250 yards W.S.W. of Cooper's Mill. Horizon.—Same horizon as beds at Cooper's Mill. Westphalian Series. Locality.—Kinlet Colliery, 1 mile S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Coal.

* BOULAY, Reek. d. paUorvt.

PART II. THE GEOLOGY OF THE TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELD. The so-called Millstone Grit (=the Cornbrook Sandstone) and the Coal Measures of Glee Hill*

INTRODUCTION. The interest of the Carboniferous of the Clee Hill lies largely in the incomplete- ness and abnormal character of its sequence. For purposes of comparison it will therefore be useful to enumerate all the palseontological divisions of the British Carboniferous System. These appear on the left in the following table :— 7. Radstockian Keele Group. Newcastle Group. 6. Staffordian Etruria Marls Group. Black Band Group. 5. Westphalian Middle Coal Measures. 4. Lanarkian Lower Coal Measures and greater part of the Millstone Grit. 3. Pendleside Series Base of the Millstone Grit and the Lime- stone Shales. 2. Upper Avonian t \ , .. . , . , . . r nCarboniferous TLimeston e QSeries. 1 . TLower Avonian ) In the right-hand column are given the equivalent lithological subdivisions in the North Staffordshire area, where the sequence, from the top of the Upper Avonian onward, is complete. The Carboniferous of Clee Hill is divisible lithologically into— c. Coal Measures. b. Millstone Grit so called—the Cornbrook Sandstone. * a. Carboniferous Limestone Series. To which of the palseontological divisions of the complete sequence does the Clee Hill Carboniferous belong ? The identification of Lower Avonian or of Upper Avonian is based on faunas.^ The evidence need not be discussed here, however; it is sufficient for our purpose to state that in Dr VAUGHAN'S opinion § only the Lower Avonian is represented in * By Clee Hill is meant the mass generally called Titterstone Clee in the Midlands, though on the Ordnance map and in local usage the name " Titterstone * is confined to the north-western portion. The Brown Clee Hill is not included in the present description. + The terms Upper and Lower Avonian are retained for the present at least, though they are nearly, if not quite, synonymous with the Visean and Tournaisian of the Continent. I Dr A. VAUGHAN, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soe., vol. lxvii (J911), pp. 367, 368, 542, 543. § Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc, vol. Ixi (1905), pp. 252-254. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1065

the Carboniferous Limestone Series of Clee Hill, and that this conclusion is confirmed by all my subsequent work. Further, Dr VATTGHAN has suggested that the Upper Avonian is represented on Clee Hill by the so-called Millstone Grit, and, as we shall see, this is the case. The criteria by which the Pendleside Series is identified do not affect us, as the series is absent from the Clee Hill. The Lanarkian and the higher subdivisions agree in possessing an Upper Car- boniferous flora; their separation from one another and the evidence for referring the Clee Hill Measures to the Westphalian are discussed elsewhere (p. 1069). Meaning of the term Millstone Grit.—The relations of beds called Millstone Grit to these palseontological divisions deserve attention. The term Millstone Grit has no exact time-value. It has been applied to rocks of any age so long as they include sandstones and lie intermediate between Carboniferous Limestone and Coal Measures. The Millstone Grit of North Staffordshire, as is seen from the table, is almost wholly of Lanarkian age. Its lowest beds yield a Lower Carboniferous flora, but a marked " palseobotanical break" occurs a short distance above the base, and the higher beds have a Lanarkian flora, i.e. an Upper Carboniferous flora from which certain species that are abundant in the Westphalian (the Middle Coal Measures) are absent. But the "Millstone Grit" of South Wales* includes (l) in all probability the local equivalent of the Pendleside Series, presumably succeeded by (2) Lanarkian strata, though the characteristic flora has not been discovered, and, at the top, (3) rocks with an undoubtedly Westphalian flora.t It is certain, in fact, that the equivalence of the " Millstone Grits" of different areas to one another cannot be taken for granted; in each area the exact age of the grit must be established by independent evidence.

THE CORNBROOK SANDSTONE (THE MILLSTONE GRIT SO CALLED) OF CLEE HILL. Lithological Characters.—Sandstones with subordinate clays, shales, thin coals (none workable), and rarely limestone. The series was evidently formed, on the whole, under continental conditions; but the limestone, which occurs within 300 feet of the base, is a marine deposit, containing the remains of sea-urchins, bellerophons, etc. The sandstones have the characters usually associated with the name of Millstone Grit. They are chiefly grey or white, but many are stained brown, or are cemented up with limonite, or coloured buff, yellow, red, or green. As the colours of the interbedded clays are similar and, in the latter case, are clearly original, it may be inferred that those of the sandstones also are original. The rocks are fine- to coarse- grained, and many are pebbly. The included pebbles, which are rarely more than 4 inches in diameter, and are generally much less, consist, in the great majority of • E. E. L. DIXON, in " The Country around Tenby and Pembroke," Mem. Geol. Surv., in preparation, t GOODE, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. lxix, p. 252, 1913. 1066 DR R. K1DSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON. cases, of white vein quartz ; but grey or purple and green quartzites—these always better rounded than the quartz-pebbles—are, in a few beds, as frequent as quartzes, and in others may generally be found. Subangular red jaspers are occasional; and highly weathered igneous rocks—? felsites—are abundant in the conglomerate that marks the base where the formation rests directly on the Lower Old Red Sandstone. Besides these fragments of older rocks, flakes of contemporaneous clays are generally included. The sandstones are imperfectly cemented as a rule. Many break down readily to pebbly sand, and they seldom form crags, or are workable for building-stone. The cement appears to be largely siliceous, and some beds are distinctly quartzitic ; but, as may be inferred, true quartzites are rarely, if ever, developed. In the brown sandstones the cement is partly ferruginous, but it is rarely calcareous. A variety of sandstone is noteworthy as having yielded the only plants of zonal value yet obtained. It is grey and well laminated, the bedding-planes being thickly sprinkled with carbonised vegetable-debris. Here and there something more than a mere suggestion of form about the plant-remains encourages the hope that the next plane to be uncovered will reveal something good—a hope that has not yet been justified. This is the more to be regretted as the age of the formation is important. Dr KIDSTON, however, has succeeded in identifying the forms mentioned on p. 1076 from this unsatisfactory material. The levels of those from Studley Tunnel are unknown. The Stigmaria from the Cornbrook dingle was found in sandstone below the waterfall, at a level several hundred feet above the base of the group, and the Lepidodendron (L. Veltheimi Sternb.) from the same dingle occurred in one of the highest sandstones exposed, nearly 1000 feet above the base. The more massive sandstones occasionally contain plant-remains which are sometimes large, as in the case of the Stigmaria mentioned above, but are usually without well-preserved surface-markings. Small rootlets, like those in the underclays, are frequent in a few sandstones. The elays occur as frequent, but thin, bands between the much thicker masses of sandstone. The clays are dicey and friable, of various bright colours (red, purple, buff, or yellow), or grey, dark or light. Some of the light-grey bands are penetrated by rootlets at right angles to the bedding and are indistinguishable from Coal Measure underclays, and occasionally such a band is overlain by black carbonaceous clay. True shales are not common. Thin but unworkable coals are present. Occasionally a smut, or a highly carbonaceous clay or shale, may be seen, and coal-streaks occur in some of the sandstones. In the Cornbrook dingle an old working suggests that an attempt has been made to work a bed, and at one or two places elsewhere a coal or coals are said to crop out. The limestone occurs as blue-hearted lenticles a few inches thick, in grey shale, weathered to buff laminated clay, both limestone and clay containing marine fossils. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1067

among which the abundance of sea-urchin plates is remarkable. The level of this marine band, of which 8 feet is exposed, is between 150 and 300 feet above the base of the group. Thickness.-—The Cornbrook Sandstone nowhere displays its complete thickness, for, though in places its true base is present, its summit is not preserved. Owing to paucity of exposures, the thickness at many places along the outcrop is uncertain. In the Cornbrook dingle, however, it is evidently little, if anything, less than 1000 feet; but on the other side of Clee Hill it has been reduced to a few feet, and', close by, the group disappears completely beneath the Coal Measures, which, as we shall presently see, rest on it with marked unconformity. Relations to Older Formations.—The Cornbrook Sandstone is known to rest at different places on the Lower Old Red Sandstone and on the Carboniferous Limestone Series. Its junction with the Lower Old Red Sandstone is sharp. That it is an unconformity is undoubted, though at the single exposure known a discordance in dip has not been demonstrated. The junction with the Carboniferous Limestone Series, which is of greater interest, is, on the other hand, undoubtedly a conformity. In the first place, wherever the junction is exposed the Cornbrook Sandstone rests on one particular bed of the Carboniferous Limestone Series, and this bed is a soft, red clay which would at once show signs of erosion if the sandstone above were unconformable. The clay, though thin, persists all along the outcrop of the junction, a matter of several miles, being present, in fact, even where the whole Carboniferous Limestone Series has thinned away laterally to a thickness of a few yards. Again, the junction shows some of the features of a passage, though there is no interbedding ; the top of the clay below is sandy, and the base of the sandstone above is even. The Cornbrook Sandstone overlain by the Coal Measures unconformably.—Th.e junction of the Cornbrook Sandstone with the Coal Measures is of still greater interest, for it is a marked unconformity. It is clearly exposed beside Benson's Brook on the north side of the hill, where the upper formation, its lowest beds consisting of coarse conglomerate, rests with gentle dip on the edges of the sharply dipping Cornbrook Sandstones, the discordance amounting to 30° or more. Age of the Cornbrook Sandstone.—As we have seen, Dr VATJGHAN has inferred that the Cornbrook Sandstone is of Upper Avonian age. This conclusion has been confirmed by more recent work, which has shown (l) that the Sandstone is truly conformable with the Carboniferous Limestone Series below, the highest recognisable horizon of which belongs to the top of the Lower Avonian ; (2) that the flora of the Sandstone so far as known is Lower Carboniferous ; and (3) that the Sandstone is separated from the Coal Measures by a marked unconformity. It may be added that the fossils so far obtained from the marine shale and limestone in the Cornbrook Sandstone are of no zonal value. 1068 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

COAL MEASURES. Lithological Characters and Thickness.—The Coal Measures are not known in complete sequence, exposures being few and details of shaft-sections almost unknown ; but they may be summarised as follows in descending order :—

The Coal Measures of Titterstone Clee Hill. Feet. 12. Sandstones, buff-weathering, with much green material, fine-to coarse-grained; small quartz pebbles in some beds,—at least ...... 100 11. Clays, chiefly light-grey or red, shales and sandstones, many of which are espleys, with ironstones and thin coals; a marine band, with Produc.tus scabriculus Martin and Lamellibranchs near the top, and probably at least another at a lower level; plants chiefly reed-like stems or, in some sandstones, large fragments: Sph. Laurenti Andrae (near the top); Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp., Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp., Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt., Artisia approximata Brongt. sp.,—thickness about . 650 10. Great Coal. Many plants in the shales and clays associated with this coal and those (4, 6, and 8) immediately below, including Sphenopteris Marrati Kidston, Sphenopteris stipulata, Gutbier, Sphenopteris Dixoni Kidston n. sp., Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp., Pecopteris cf. Volkmanni Sauveur, Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp., Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt., Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp,, Neuropteris rarinervis Bunbury, Neuropteris gigantea Sternb., Sphenophyllum sp., Lepidodendron selaginoides Sternb., Lepidophyllum sp., Sigillaria (Claihraria) sp., Cordaites borassifolius Sternb. sp., Carpolithes membi'anaceus Gopp., Pinnularia capillacea L. & H, and Artisia approximata Brongt. sp.,—5 feet to ...... 9 9. Underclay and shale with ironstone (worked),—3 feet to ...... 8 8. Three Quarter Coal,—1 foot to 2J 7. Underclay and measures,—4J feet to ...... 18 6. Smith Coal, with clod,—2 feet to 6 5. Measures,—! 2 feet to ...... 40 4. Four Feet Coal,—2 feet to 4 3. Chiefly clays like those above the Great Coal, with sandstones which are occasionally thick enough to form surface-features and which include many espleys; at least one marine horizon (Conularia); ironstones and thin coals at various levels; Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp., Dactylutheca plumosa Artis sp., Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp., Neuropteris gigantea Sternb., Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp., Pararalamo- stachys cf. striata Weiss, Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp. and Lepidophloios sp.,—possibly no more than 250 feet in places, and nowhere probably exceeding . 450 2. Gutter or Bluestone Coal. Many plants from associated beds, including Sphenopteris trifoliolata Artis sp., Sphenopteris KilimHi Kidston, Sphenopteris Schwerini Star sp., Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp., Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp., Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp., Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt., Neuropteris gigantea Sternb., Neuropteris cf. aallosa Lesqx., Annularia radiata Brongt., Paracalamostachya cf. striata Weiss, Samaropsis cf. crassa Lesqx., Carpolithes cf. perpusillus Lesqx., Artisia approximata Brongt. sp...... 3 1. Sandstones, some conglomeratic, clays and shales, with a coarse basal conglomerate in places; this bed and some of the sandstones have the lithological characters of Millstone Grit, but interbedded are ironstones (worked) and one or two coal partings; typical Upper Carboniferous plants in some of the sandstones, and also in pene-contemporaneous flakes of shale or clay enclosed in the conglomeratic sandstones : Neuropteris gigantea Sternb., Cordaites cf. principalis Germar sp., Artisia approximata Brongt.,—total thickness 50 to ...... 100

Total thickness about . . . 1400 FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1069

The following lithological features may be emphasised:— The argillaceous strata are chiefly clays, not shales, though true shales also occur. Many of the clays are red, purple, or green, the rest being light-grey. Probably the light-grey exceed the red clays, but the latter are frequent throughout. Many, probably most, of the sandstones, from the Gutter Coal to the highest beds seen, are espleys, as they contain much green debris, some of it coarse, the whole in a friable matrix. It is unknown, however, whether the green fragments have been derived from volcanic rocks; such an origin has been proved in the case of the espleys of the Etruria Marls of Staffordshire. The basal sandstones up to the Gutter Coal resemble those of the underlying Cornbrook Sandstone, the so-called Millstone Grit, in being light-grey and devoid of green debris ; some are hard, thick-bedded, and pebbly. It might, in fact, be thought that they belong to the Cornbrook Sandstone, were it not that in one place they rest with evident unconformity on that group, and at several places have yielded Upper Carboniferous plants such as Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. sp. The few plants from the basal sandstones are species common to both the West- phalian and the Lanarkian Series, and do not alFord sufficient evidence for deciding whether No. 1 of the section should be referred to the Westphalian or to the Lanarkian. It appears to Dr KIDSTON that it might probably represent the Lanarkian Series, but the palseontological evidence is not sufficient to determine this question. The coals up to the level of the Great Coal at least are " sweet," i.e. non- sulphurous. The ironstones, like the coals, occur throughout groups 1 to 11, but again, like the coals, have been found workable at a few levels only. The great majority are nodular masses, up to several feet in diameter, of grey clay-ironstone. A dark platy band, locally called black-band, which occurs in the roof of the Gutter Coal, is of interest in being crowded with the periostraca of lamellibranchs. Marine bands are rare, the series being on the whole of continental origin; but it is important to note that one well-defined marine band lies as high as the highest 40 feet of the group 11. The bands differ from those in most coal fields in consisting of light-grey clay with light-grey limestone nodules, and in yielding no cephalopods. Some of the nodules are crowded with Productus. Fauna.—So far as known, of no zonal value. The Age of the Titterstone Clee Hill Coal Measures.—As is shown by Dr KIDSTON on another page, conclusive evidence on this question is afforded by the flora, which, from the Gutter Coal, up to the Great Coal at least, shows the beds undoubtedly to belong to the Westphalian Series (Middle Coal Measures). Were it not for the palseontological evidence, however, there would be some doubt as to their age. The stratigraphical succession shows merely that their period of deposition was separated from that of the Cornbrook Sandstone by a break sufficiently prolonged to allow the older formation to be folded somewhat and partly 1070 DR E. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. B. L. DIXON. denuded before the newer one was laid down. And the lithological evidence as to age is conflicting, certain features of the Coal Measures pointing to a Middle Coal Measure horizon, whereas others suggest a higher level—that of the Etruria Marls. The discordance will be apparent from the following summary of the growth of our knowledge. A Middle Coal Measure age has long been urged by Mr DANIEL JONES,* who bases his argument on the resemblance of the Titterstone Clee Measures to the Sweet Coal Series of the adjoining Forest of Wyre Coalfield. It may be admitted at once that the resemblance in all respects is so close as to demonstrate conclusively that the Sweet Coal series of the two coal fields are of the same age, and, in fact, must have been deposited in one basin. But the Sweet Coal Series of the Forest of Wyre is isolated from coal fields of known Middle Coal Measure age with which Mr JONES correlates it, and also it differs from the beds in those coal fields in various respects. Consequently, to one who does not know the Forest of Wyre and neighbouring coal fields so well as Mr JONES, the correlation of these coal fields, and therefore the age of the Titterstone Clee Coal Measures, does not appear to have been conclusively established. My own work on the lithological sequence of the Titterstone Clee and Forest of Wyre Coalfields, whilst confirming their correlation with one another, partly opposes, partly supports Mr JONES'S correlation of them with beds elsewhere. As will be seen from the section on p. 1068, the Titterstone Clee Measures are divisible into (a) a lower clay-series (groups 1-11) and (b) an upper sandstone-series (group 12), the latter of unknown thickness, as only the lowest 100 feet or so are preserved. Similarly, the Forest of Wyre measures, as developed near Billingsley and Baveney Wood, consist of a lower clay-series and an upper sandstone or sandstone-and-clay series ; the lower series (a) in the two coal fields are so nearly identical as evidently to have been deposited contemporaneously. Here it need only be mentioned that in each coal field the same parts of the series contain " sweet" coals, and the whole includes red clays and espleys. The upper series (b) also consists of similar rocks in the two coal fields, though in the Forest of Wyre it attains a great thickness, con- tinuing up to the so-called " Permian." As the sandstones immediately beneath the " Permian" in .parts at least of the Forest of Wyre belong to the Newcastle Group or Halesowen Sandstone,t it has been suggested j that the whole series of sandstones (6), both in that coal field and in Titterstone Clee, may belong to the Newcastle Group, and that the underlying clay series (a) may be a facies of the Etruria Marls, which normally consist wholly of red clays and espleys. This view of the clay-series did not accord with the presence in that series of workable coals and marine bands, and, as we have seen, it is now known to be definitely refuted by the flora, which is Westphalian, not Staffordian. * In Geol. Mag. for 1871, p. 363, and in subsequent papers. t T. C. CANTRILL, "A Contribution, etc./' 1895, p. 19; Coll. Guard., vol. lxxi, 1896, p. 351; Dr W. GIBSON Trans. Inst. Mining Eng., vol. xlv, 1912-13, p. 30. I E. B. L. DIXON, Rep. Brit. Assoc. (Sheffield, 1910), 1911, p. 611. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1071

There remains, however, the question of the age of part of the sandstone-series above. Both in Titterstone Clee and in the Forest of Wyre the lowest beds of this series have yielded no plants, and their junction with the clay-series below is not exposed. In the second coal field, however, the sandstones at a higher level have yielded a Staffordian flora (see p. 1032). The position, therefore, is this : the clay- series (a), from the Gutter Coal, is Westphalian, at least up to about the level of the Great Coal of Clee Hill inclusive ; but above this no definite evidence of age is forthcoming until a level well up in the sandstone-series (b) is reached, where the flora in Wyre Forest is Staffordian. In the intervening measures a non-sequence, or even an unconformity, may have been passed over, but no field evidence of such a break has been obtained. It would naturally be sought at .the junction of the clays with the sandstones. But this junction appears to be a conformity ; its outcrop, when followed, maintains its distance from that of the Sweet Coals in the clay-series below; and the features that mark it vary, as though the individual sandstone bands along it were impersistent. Further : sandstones, precisely similar to those above, are intercalated among the clays below, occurring even below the coals, the Westphalian age of which is certain. The clay-series and the sandstone-series therefore appear to form one conformable sequence, and at present the relations of the Westphalian and the Staffordian to one another and to the lithological divisions are uncertain. Finally, it may be remarked that the parallelism between the lithological divisions a and b on the one hand and the sequence Etruria Marls-Halesowen Sandstone on the other, though illusory for purposes of correlation, is sufficiently close to show that during Coal Measure times the physiographic changes which in North Stafford- shire initiated the Etruria Marls commenced over the Titterstone Clee-Forest of Wyre area at a distinctly earlier period.

FOSSIL PLANTS OF THE TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELD. The earliest records of fossil plants from this Coal Field are those given by LINDLEY and HUTTON in their Fossil Flora. Sphenopteris polyphylla L. & H. 1835. Sphenopteris polyphylla, L. & H., Fossil Flora, vol. ii, p. 185, pi. cxlvii. 1892. „ „ Kidston, Proc. Roy. Phys. Soe. Edin., vol. xi, p. 239, pi. ix, figs. 2, 2a, 2c. In a note appended to this species, the authors of the Fossil Flora say, when referring to a collection made by Sir RODERICK MURCHISON from the "Knowlsbury Coal Field," that the specimens " occur chiefly in the roof of the ' Great Coal,' and ' Gutter Coal.'" This to a certain extent fixes the horizon of this specimen. Since LINDLEY and HTJTTON'S time Sphenopteris polyphylla has not been again met with. The type is now preserved in the Geological Department of the British TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 151 1072 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Museum, to which it was presented a short time ago by the Geological Society of London.* Rhacopteris dubia L. & H. sp. 1835. Otopteris 1 dubia, L. & H., Fossil Flora, p. 191, pi. cl. 1892. Rhacopteris dubia, Kidston, Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Fdin., vol. xi, p. 238, pi. ix, figs. 1, la.

This specimen was " procured by Mr MURCHISON from the sandstone of the Knowlsbury Coal Field." It is preserved in a fine-grained, buff-coloured sandstone. Rhacopteris dubia is also only represented by the type specimen, and is now contained in the collection of the Geological Department of the British Museum, having been received from the Geological Society of London, t A third specimen was described by LINDLEY and HUTTON from the " Knowlsbury Coal Field," the Sigillaria Murchisoni. \ It is now also in the collection of the Geological Department of the British Museum, but it is so badly preserved that it is impossible to obtain from it any satisfactory specific characters. §

SPECIMENS COLLECTED BY MR DIXON. Locality.—Knowbury Brickworks, Knowbury. Horizon.—Within 200 yards above Four Foot Coal. From almost the highest beds in the coal field. Sphenopteris Laurenti Andrae. Locality.—Penny's Pit, near Collybrook Cottage, Knowbury. Horizon.—Immediately above Great Coal. Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt. Sigillaria sp. (Clathrate). Horizon.—Probably a few feet above Great Coal, but may be 100 yards above it. Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Neuropteris sp. Lepidophyllum sp.

Locality.—Clee Hill Granite Company's Quarry, near Craven Place. Horizon.—Measures above Dolerite, above Great Coal. Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. Sigillaria sp. Artisia approximata Brongt. sp.

* No. G.S. 5195A. t No. G.S. 5093A. % Fossil Flora, vol. ii, pi. cxlix, 1835. § No. G.S. 5231. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1073

Locality.—Dhustone Pit (Coal), Clee Hill. Horizon.—Probably from Great Coal; certainly within 45 yards above it. Sphenophyllum sp. Sigillaria sp.

Locality.—Deep Pit Mound, Clee Hill. Cutting to Belfry Quarry, September 1907. Horizon.—Great Coal. Sphenopteris stipulata Gutbier. ,, Marrati Kidston. ,, Dixoni Kidston n. sp. (See p. 1077, PL V, figs. 3-5.) Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. ,, cf. Volhmanni Sauveur. Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp. ,, heterophylla Brongt. ,, rarinervis Bunbury. Lepidodendron selaginoides Sternb. 1823. Lepidodendron selaginoides, Sternb., Essaiflore monde prim., vol. i, fasc. 2, pp. 29 and 35; fasc. 4, p. viii, pi. xvi, fig. 3; pi. xvii, fig. 1. Carpolithes membranaceus Gopp.

Locality.—Whatsill Colliery, Clee Hill. Horizon.—Roof of Great Coal. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp. Cordaites borassifolius Sternb. sp. Pinnularia capillacea L. & H.

Locality.—Whatsill Colliery, Clee Hill. Horizon.—Smith or Great Coal. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp. Cordaites borassifolius Sternb. sp.

Locality.—Pit about \ mile E.N.E. of Gobbits, Cleeton. Horizon.—Within 42 yards above Gutter Coal. Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. 1074 DR R- KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Locality.—Pit near Winthills Wood, Knowbury. Horizon.—Close to Gutter Coal. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. Sphenophyllum cuneifolium Sternb. sp.

Locality.—Colliery, 350 yards N.E. of St Paul's Church, Knowbury. Horizon.—Near Gutter Coal. Sphenopteris Schwerini Stur sp. 1885. Hapalopteris Schwerini, Stur, Fame: Carbonflora d. Sehatz. Sehiehten, p. 43, pi. xli, figs. 8, 8a. 1899. Sphenopteris (Renaultia) Schwerini, Zeiller, Etude sur la flore foss. du bassin houil. d'Heraclee, p. 16, pi. i, figs. 12, 12a. 1913. Sphenopteris (? Renaultia) Schwerini, Gothan, Oberschlesische Steinkohlenflora, i Thiel. p. 135, pi. xxviii, figs. 1, 2, 2a, 26; pi. xxix, fig. 2 (1 fig. 1, right and left margin of figure). 1885. Hapalopteris Schiitzei, Stur (pars), I.e., p. 56, pi. xli, figs. 3 and 4 (non figs. 1, 2). Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. ,, ,, ,, forma delicatula Brongt. pro sp. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp.. Neuropteris cf. callosa Lesqx. 1879. Neuropteris callosa, Lesqx., Coal Flora: Atlas, p. 4, pi. xvi, figs. 1-8; text, 1880, p. 115.

Locality.—Colliery, 130 yards W.S.W. of Craven Cottage, Catherton. Horizon.—Roof of Gutter Coal. Sphenopteris trifoliolata Artis sp. „ Kilimlii Kidston. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. ,, gigantea Sternb. Annularia radiata Brongt. Paracaiamostachys cf. striata Weiss. 1884. Paracaiamostachys striata, Weiss, Steinkohlen-Calamarien, part ii, p. 192, pi. xx, figs. 3-5. Samaropsis sp. Carpolithes cf. perpusillus Lesqx. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1075

Locality.—Crinoline Pit, Farden. Horizon.—Probably roof of Gutter Coal, but there is a bare possibility of from anywhere up to 100 yards above it. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. Paracalamostachys cf. striata Weiss. Sphenophyllum sp. Lepidophloios sp.

Locality.—Crumps Brook, 280 yards W. of bridge on road to Ludlow. Horizon.—A sh'ort distance above Gutter Coal. Artisia approximate Brongt. sp. .

Locality.—L. & N.W. & G.W. Joint Railway, S.W. side of cutting about 550 yards below top of Angelbank incline. Horizon.—A short distance below Gutter Coal. Neuropteris gigantea Sternb.

Locality.—Crumps Brook, at W. margin of Catherton Common. Horizon.—A short distance below Gutter Coal. Cordaites cf. principalis Germar sp.

In addition to the specimens collected from the Clee Hill Coalfield by Mr DIXON, the following was secured by myself in a short visit there in 1890 :— Locality.—Chimney Colliery, Angelbank, Titterstone Clee. Horizon.—Bottom Coal. Sigillaria distans Sauveur.

Dr ARBBR has kindly shown me the specimens in the Sedgwick Museum, Cam- bridge, from which the list was compiled in his remarks on the Titterstone Clee Hill Coalfield.* The exact horizons for the specimens are not known, but he notes that the great majority of them were obtained from the horizon of the Smith Coal at Watsall (Whatsill) Pit (Trouts Pit Company), Titterstone Clee. They are therefore of Westphalian age. The following amongst others are mentioned in his list:— Calamites varians Sternb.=cf. Calamites undulatus Sternb. Sphenopteris acuta Brongt. ?=cf. Sphenopteris sp. Mariopteris latifolia Brongt. sp. ?=cf. Mariopteris sp. Neuropteris Scheuchzeri Hoffm. Sigillaria Boblayi Brongt. Cordaianthus approximatus Renault. • Phil. Trans., I.e., p. 418. 1076 DE E. KIDSTON, ME T. C. CANTEILL, AND ME E. E. L. DIXON. " Millstone Grit."

LOWER CARBONIFEROUS. Locality.—Debris from Studley Tunnel (E. end), Birmingham Corporation Water- works. Horizon.—" Millstone Grit." Lepidodendron Veltheimi Sternb. Stigmaria jicoides Sternb. sp. Sphenopteris sp.

Locality.—West bank of Cornbrook, 215 yards below Cornbroflk Bridge and just above a cottage. Horizon.—"Millstone Grit." Lepidodendron Veltheimi Sternb.

Locality.—Cornbrook, east bank, below waterfall. Horizon.—" Millstone Grit." Stigmaria Jicoides Sternb. sp.

SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES FROM THE UPPER CARBONIFEROUS OF THE CLEE HILL COAL FIELD. Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt. ,, trifoliolata Artis sp. ,, Marrati Kidston. ,, Laurenti Andrae. ,, polyphylla L. & H. ,, stipulata Gutbier. ,, Schiverini Stur sp. ,, Kilimlii Kidston. ,, Dixoni Kidston n. sp. (See p. 1077.) Rhacopteris dubia L. & H. sp. Pecopteris Miltoni Artis sp. „ cf. Volkmanni Sauveur. Dactylotheca plumosa Artis sp. „ ,, forma delicatula Brongt. pro sp. Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. „ tenuifolia Schl. sp. ,, rarinervis Bunbury. ,, gigantea Sternb. ,, Scheuchzeri, Hoffm. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1077

cf. Catamites undulatus Sternb. Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp Annularia radiata Brongt. Paracalamostachys cf. striata Weiss. Sphenophyllum euneifolium Sternb. sp. Lepidodendron selaginoides Sternb. Lepidophloios sp. Lepidophyllum sp. Sigillaria (Clathraria) sp. „ distans Sauveur. (See p. 1051, PI. V, fig. 10.) ,, Boblayi Brongt. sp. Cordaites borassifolius Sternb. sp. ,, cf. principalis Germar sp. Cordaicladus approximatus Renault. Samaropsis cf. crassa Lesqx. Garpolithes membranaceus, Gopp. Carpolithes cf. perpusillus Lesqx. Artisia approximata Brongt. sp. Pinnularia capillacea L. & H.

Sphenopteris Dixoni Kidston n. sp. PI. V, figs. 3-5. Description.—Frond tripinnate or possibly further divided. Primary (?) pinnae alternate, linear, touching each other laterally; secondary pinnae linear, slightly distant or touching each other by their margins, attaining a length of l'3O cm. with a width of about 4 mm., and bearing from three to six pairs of alternate pinnules according to position of secondary pinna on the frond. Rachis straight, winged. Pinnules small, 2-3 mm. long and 075 to 1 mm. wide at the base, decurrent, with a dull rough surface. Basal pinnules frequently bear two pairs of lateral sub-opposite lobes without a terminal one or trifid; middle pinnules usually trifid, or bifid, uppermost ones simple; lobes or segments of pinnule spreading, blunt. Nervation distinct. A single vein enters the pinnules, which gives off a" veinlet to each tooth or segment. Remarks.—This species is allied to the Sphenopteris trifida Gopp.,* and to that species I was at first inclined to refer it; but during a visit from Dr GOTHAN I took the opportunity of showing him the specimens, and his opinion was that the fossil was specifically distinct from that species. Subsequently, through his kind offices, I received from Dr BEYSCHLAG an authentic specimen of Sphenopteris trifida for com- * GheiUmthUes meifoliut f3 trifidus, Gopp., Syst. fil. foss., p. 241, pi. xv, figs. 3,4, 1836 ; Galymmotheea trifida, Stur, Garb. Flora d. Schatz. Schicht.: Die Fame, p. 255, pi. xxxi, fig. 4 ; pi. xxxvi, fig. 3, 1885. 1078 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON. parison with the Clee Hill fossils, and this showed conclusively that they could not be referred to Sphenopteris trifida Gopp. sp., but were an undescribed species. From Sphenopteris trifida it differs in the ultimate pinnae being even more linear. On many of the pinnse (probably the upper ones) the pinnules are bifid (figs. 3, 3a), on others and probably lower pinnae they are trifid (figs. 4 and 5); the pinnules consisting of two lateral linear segments and a distinct terminal one; whereas on Sphenopteris trifida the pinnules might be described as cuneate, with three teeth on the upper margin, as seen in GOPPERT'S original enlargement; and the same character can be seen on STUR'S two figures if examined with a lens.* 1 have pleasure in naming this species after Mr B. E. L. DIXON, B.Sc, F.G.S., to whom I am indebted for my knowledge of the flora of the Clee Hill Coal Field. Locality.—Deep Pit Mound, Clee Hill, Shropshire. Horizon.—Great Coal Seam. Westphalian Series. (Fig. 3, K/4074 ; fig. 4, K/4073 ; fig. 5, K/4075.) Locality.—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon.—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. (Pr. 1264.)

APPENDIX. LIST OF THE FOSSIL PLANTS COLLECTED FROM THE CORE OF THE CLAVEELEY TRIAL BORING, FIVE MILES EAST OF BRIDGNORTH, SHROPSHIRE. As only incidental reference has been made to the fossil plants collected from the core of this boring,! it has been thought desirable to publish a complete list with the depths from which they were obtained. A description of the core, accompanied by a section, has been given by Dr WALCOT GIBSON when dealing with the geological and economic problems suggested by this boring,\ and an abstract of the section is given here by Mr CANTRILL on p. 1010. List of Fossil Plants collected from the Claverley Boring §

Deptl . Feet. laches. 185 6 Base of Upper Permian. ) o i T> 472 2 „ Middle Permian. £ Salopian Penman 1240 2 m • , Keele Group, Radsfcockian Series, j 1604 2 u 2 , Newcastle-under-Lyme Group. ) 1797 2 , Etruria Marl Group. > Staffordian Series. Abse nt °* § , Black Band Group. ) 2032 0 '~> "S , Westphalian Series. 2190 6 o , Lanarkian Series. * STUR, I.e. t GIBSON, Summary of Progress far 1904, pp. 150-151, 1905 ; Ibid, for 1905, pp. 172-3, 1906. I Trans. Institute of Mining Engineers, vol. xlv, part i, pp. 30-48,1913. § The specimens are preserved in the collection of the Geological Survey of .England — numbers J. P. 4222-4556. FOREST OF WYRE AND T1TTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1079

Depth Feet. Inches. KEELE GROUP, RADSTOCKIAN SBRIBS. 15S 0 Catamites sp. 647 0 Palxoxyris cf. carbonaria Schimper. 746 0 Neuropteris sp. 840 0 Cordaites sp. 845 0 848 0 Catamites sp. 850 0 WaZcTwa cf. hypnoides Brongt. 876-878 Peeopteris Miltoni Artis sp.

JJ Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt.

JJ ,, Seheuchzeri Hoffm.

JJ Catamites sp. 997 0 Peeopteris (Cyatheites) sp.

JJ Neuropteris ovata Hoffm.

JJ „ Seheuchzeri Hoffm.

)j Catamites sp.

)) Annularia sphenophylloides Zenker sp.

JJ Lepidodendron sp. 1009-1010 Peeopteris cf. cyathea Brongt.

Jj Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt.

)J „ ovata Hoffm.

JJ Lepidodendron sp. 1033 0 Sphenopteris sp. ?

»J Annularia sphenophylloides Zenker sp. 1 1095 0 Walchia cf. hypnuidts Brongt. 1100 0 Peeopteris Miltoni Artis sp. 1147 0 Catamites sp. 1155 0 Cordaites borassifolius Sternb. sp. 1157 1 1240 2 Base of Keele Group.

NEWCASTLI-UNDER-LYME GROUP = HALESOWEN SANDSTONES. 1270 0 Neuropteris Seheuchzeri Hoffm.

JJ Catamites sp.

) J Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp.

JJ Lepidophyllum intermedium L. & H. 1275 0 Peeopteris arborescens Schl. sp.

J) Alethopteris Serli Brongt. sp.

) J Neuropteris ovata Hoffm.

J) „ Seheuchzeri Hoffm.

)J Lepidodendron dichotomum (Sternb. 1) Zeiller.

JJ Lepidophyllum sp.

j) Lycopod macrospores. 1280 0 Alethopteris lonchitiea Schl. sp.

JJ Neuropteris onata Hoffm. 1282 0 Alethopteris lonchitiea Schl. sp.

j) Neuropteris Seheuchzeri Hoffm. 1447-1449 Peeopteris uiiita Brongt.

JJ Alethopteris aquilina Schl. sp.

JJ Catamites undulatus Sternb.

JJ Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp.

J> Spheiwphyllum emarginatum Brongt. 1509-1514 Alethopteris aquilina Schl. sp. J> Neuropteris rarinervis Bun bury. JJ Cyclopteris (Neuropteris) orbicularis Brongt.

1 J> Catamites undulatus Sternb.

>J Lepidodendron cf. simile Kidston.

») Lepidophyllum sp. 1604 2 Base of Newcastle-under-Lyme Group.

TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 152 1080 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON.

Depth Feet. Inches. 1797 2 BASE OF ETRURIA MARL GROUP. (NO fossils.)

BLACK BAND GROUP.—Absent.

WESTPHALIAN SERIES. 1805-1807 Neuropteris sp.

11 Lepidodendron sp.

J) Gordaiearpus Cordai Geinitz sp.

It Samaropsis emaryinata Gdpp. and Berger. 1873-1875 Aleihopieris cf. lonchitica Schl. sp. a Neuropteris sp. allied to Neuropteris Blis'si Lesqx. Sphenopteris Kilimlii Kidston. 1878 0 Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp. 1890 0 Lycopod macrospores. 1910 0 Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp. 1919 0 Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. 1920-1922 sp. )> Palseostachya Ettingshauseni Kidston.

11 Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp., var reticulata Gdpp. 1930 0 Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt.

1935 0 »J >» 1973-1975 Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt.

JJ Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp.

J) Alethopteris lonchitica Schl. sp.

31 ,, decurrens Artis sp.

11 Neuropteris tenuifolia Schl. sp.

11 „ gigantea Sternb.

)f Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp.

It Sphenophyllum sp. 2006-2008 Neuropteris sp. Annularia cf. galioides L. & H. sp. 2009-2010 Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. Catamites sp. 2020-2021 Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. Cyelopteris (Neuropteris) orbicularis Brongt. Calamites undulatus Sternb. 2028-2032 Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. ,, sp. allied to Neuropteris Blissi Lesqx. Base of Westphalian series lies somewhere between here and 2082 feet.

LANARKIAN SERIES. 2082 0 Spiropteris.

11 Cordaites principalis Germar sp. 2119 0 Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp. 2123 0 Lepidophloios acerosus L. & H. sp. Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp. 2125 0 Calamites sp. 2127 0 Mariopteris muricata Schl. sp. » Asterophyllites equisetiformis Schl. sp. Lepidophyllum sp. 2160-2162 Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp. 2167-2168 Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternb. )> Stigmaria ficoides Sternb. sp. Cordaites principalis Germar sp. 2172 0 Neuropteris gigantea Sternb. 2190 6 Base of Lanarkian Series.

SILURIAN. FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1081

REMARKS. One of the most interesting plants met with in this boring is Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt., of which two specimens were collected from the Keele Group ; these are the first and, as far as I know, the only two records for the occurrence of this species in the Radstockian Series. I am indebted to Mr EDWARD PARRY for one of these examples, which is shown on PL V, fig. 2. The specimen, which is typical of the species, is preserved in a fine-grained red marl from which the carbonaceous matter of the fossil has entirely disappeared. The specimens I name "Neuropteris sp., allied to Neuropteris Blissi Lesqx.," from this boring and from the Westphalian rocks of the Wyre Forest (ante, pp. 1025, 1028), usually occur as isolated pinnules whose form is that of Neuropteris Blissi Lesqx.* ; but the lateral veins follow a slightly more arched course in their passage from the midrib to the margin of the pinnule, than in LESQUEREUX'S plant. In such a difficult and critical genus as Neuropteris, until more perfect specimens are secured it is better not to attempt a definite determination. The true Neuropteris Blissi is very rare in Britain, t From somewhere between 2032 feet and 2082 feet the Lanarkian Series appears to come in. My reason for referring this portion of the bore to that series is the entire absence in this part of the measures of a single characteristic West- phalian species. It is true that all the plants met with here are also found in the Westphalian Series, but one of the important points which separate the Lanarkian from the Westphalian Series is the absence of species from the former which are frequent in and characteristic of the latter. The Lanarkian has some species peculiar to itself, and though none of them appear here, the absence of Westphalian species cannot be ignored. Their absence may be due to the accidents of collecting, but the fact remains they have not been here met with ; therefore, if the position of these measures is judged by its available paleeontological data, I can only conclude that the rocks under discussion must be referred to the Lanarkian Series. Dr ARBER, from the examination of the plants from the lower part of this boring, " can find, however, no evidence from these specimens that these beds belong to the Lower Coal Measures." " On the contrary, the flora of the lowest 200 feet of the measures is undoubtedly a Middle Coal Measure flora." \ With this opinion, as far as the character of the flora is concerned, I cannot agree, for such as it is, it is typically Lanarkian. Future collecting in these measures may reveal a West- phalian flora, but up to the present it has failed to do so. Purely geological considerations would favour the view that the lowest portion of the bore should also be Westphalian, but, as already stated, the palseontological data are against this. The material from which the fossils were collected was limited,

* Coal Flora, vol. iii, p. 737, pi. xcv, figs. 1, la, 1884. + See Neuropteris Blissi Lesqx., Trans. Roy. Soe. Edin., vol. xxxvii, p. 329, pi. i, figs. 3, 3a, 1893. \ ARBER, I.e., p. 409. 1082 DR R. KIDSTON, MR T. C. CANTRILL, AND MR E. E. L. DIXON. and, as already mentioned, there is the possibility that the absence of Westphalian species from this part of the bore may be accidental; still, from some cause they are absent. I have again to express my thanks to the Executive Committee of the Carnegie Trust for a grant to defray the cost of the plates illustrating this Memoir.

EXPLANATION OF PLATES.

PLATE I. Fig. 1. Cingularia typica Weiss. Locality—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Natural size. (Pr. 1350.) Fig. la. Cingularia typica Weiss. Specimen shown at fig. 1, enlarged 2 times, a, remains of sterile whorls. Fig. \b, Cingularia typica Weiss. Cone axis x 2, to show that the ribs do not alternate at the nodes a, a. Fig. 2. Cingularia typica Weiss. Fertile whorl. Same locality and horizon as last. Natural size. (Pr. 1261.) Fig. 2a. Cingularia typica Weiss. Same specimen enlarged 2 times. Fig. 3. Cingularia Gantrilli Kidston n. sp. Small fragment showing the upper surface of the sphorophylls. Locality—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Natural size. (Pr. 1260.) (The figure is placed on the plate in inverted position.) Fig. 3a. Cingularia Cantrilli Kidston n. sp. Specimen shown at fig. 3, enlarged 2 times, a and a, the two free truncate lappets of the sporophyll; b, the united bases of the sporophylls forming a collar which surrounds the axis; c and c, small circular points indicating the position of the outer circle of sporangia on lower side of sporophyll; c' and c, position of inner whorl of sporangia. Fig. 4. Cingularia Cantrilli Kidston n. sp. Same locality and horizon as last. Specimen showing lower surface of sporophylls. Natural size. a, axis; b, united portion of sporophylls forming collar round axis ; s s, sporophylls. (Pr. 1256 and Pr. 1257.) Fig. 4a. Gingularia Cantrilli Kidston n. sp. Portion of specimen shown at fig. 4, enlarged 2 times. Lettering as in fig. 4. Fig. 5. Gingularia Cantrilli Kidston n. sp. Counterpart of fig. 4. Natural size. (Pr. 1258 and Pr. 1259.) Fig. 5a. Cingularia Cantrilli Kidston n. sp. Portion of specimen shown at fig. 5, enlarged 2 times, a, ribbed axis; b, united portion of sporophylls forming a collar which surrounds the axis; c, one of the two lappets forming the free portion of the sporophyll; a", d", small circular scars indicating the position of the outer circle of sporangia; e, e", scars of inner circle of sporangia; /, knee formed by upward bending of the sporophylls; g, limit of the free portion of the lappets of sporophyll. PLATE II. Fig. 1. Sigillaria reticulata Lesqx. Locality—Koadside near Furnace Mill, £ mile N.W. of Wyre Forest Station, near Cleobury Mortimer. Horizon—Westphalian Series. Small fragment of cortex. Natural size. (Pr. 1416.) FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS. 1083

Fig. la. Sigillaria retieulata Lesqx. Portion of specimen seen at fig. 1, enlarged 2 times to show form of leaf scars and ornamentation of outer surface of cortex. Figs. \b and If. Sigillaria retieulata Lesqx. Impressions of two leaf scars from the same specimen, enlarged 2 times to show the ligule pit a. Fig. 2. Sigillaria transversalis Brongt. Locality—Roadside near Furnace Mill, ^ mile N.W. of Wyre Forest Station, near Cleobury Mortimer. Horizon—Westphalian Series. Small fragment showing form of leaf scars and transverse bars. Natural size. (Pr. 1420.) Fig. 3. Sigillaria transversalis Brongt. Same locality as last. Small fragment of cortex. Natural size. (Pr. 1451.) Fig. 3a. Sigillaria transversalis Brongt. Same specimen, enlarged 2 times to show form of leaf scars and slight ornamentation of outer surface of the ribs and the stronger sub-epidermal reticulate marking. Fig. 4. Sigillaria transversalis Brongt. Same locality and horizon. Small portion of a rib enlarged 2 times to show smooth outer surface of cortex. (Pr. 1419.) Fig. 5. Lepidophloios aeerosus L. & H. sp. Locality—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Portion of a small branch enlarged 2 times to show form of cushion and leaf scar. (Pr. 1379.) Fig. 6. Annularia spicata Gutbier sp. Locality—Road section, Cooper's Mill, 1£ mile W. of Dowles Church, near Bewdley. Horizon— Westphalian Series. Small fragment. Natural size. (Pr. 1157.) Fig. 6a. Annularia spicata Gutbier sp. Same specimen as shown at fig. 6, enlarged 2 times. Fig. 7. Annularia spicata Gutbier sp. Same locality and horizon as last. Natural size. (Pr. 1156.) Fig. 7a. Annularia spicata Gutbier sp. Same specimen as fig. 7, enlarged 2 times to show the foliage.

PLATE III. Fig. 1. Sigillaria Pringlei Kidston n. sp. Locality—Kinlet Colliery, S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon—Shales associated with Brooch Seam. Westphalian Series. Portion of cortex. Natural size. (Pr. 1529.) Fig. la. Sigillaria Pringlei Kidston n. sp. Portion of specimen shown at fig. 1, enlarged 2 times to show outer surface of cortex and form of the leaf scars. Fig. 2. Sigillaria nudicaulis Boulay. Locality and horizon as last. Portion of stem. Natural size. (Pr. 1530.) Fig. 2a. Sigillaria nudicaulis Boulay. Part of the same specimen given at fig. 2, enlarged 2 times to show smooth outer surface of cortex and form of leaf scars. Fig. 3. Sigillaria cf. nudicaulis Boulay. Same locality and horizon as last. Fragment of stem. Natural size. (Pr. 1487.) Fig. 3c(. Sigillaria cf. nudicaulis Boulay. Portion of specimen given at fig. 3, enlarged 2 times to show form of leaf scar and faint plumose ornamentation above leaf scar.

PLATE IV. Fig. 1. Sigillaria Gandollei Brongt. Locality—Kinlet Colliery, S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon—Shales associated with Brooch Seam. Westphalian Series. Fragment of stem shown natural size. (Pr. 1476.) TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. LI, PART IV (NO. 27). 153 1084 FOREST OF WYRE AND T1TTERSTONE CLEE HILL COAL FIELDS.

Fig. la. Sigillaria Gandollei Brongt. Part of specimen given at fig. 1, enlarged 2 times to show form of leaf scars and ornamentation of the cortex. Fig. 2. Sigillaria Gandollei Brongt. Same locality and horizon as last. Small specimen shown natural size. (Pr. 1489.) Fig. 2a. Sigillaria Gandollei Brongt. Portion of specimen given at fig. 2. enlarged 2 times to show form of the leaf scars and ornamentation of outer surface of ribs. Fig. 3. Sigillaria Boblayi Brongt. Same locality and horizon as last. Small specimen shown natural size. (Pr. 1480.) Fig. 3a. Sigillaria Boblayi Brongt. Part of rib of specimen seen at fig. 3, enlarged 2 times to show form of leaf scar. Fig. 4. Sigillaria distans Sauveur. Locality and horizon same as last. Small specimen shown natural size. (Pr. 1485.) Fig. 4a. Sigillaria distans Sauveur. Part of rib of specimen given at fig. 4, enlarged 2 times to show form of leaf scar and plumose ornamentation immediately above it.

PLATE V. Fig. 1. Oarpolithes arealatus Boulay sp. Small slab containing several seeds. Fig. la, a few examples x 2. Locality—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon—Shale roof of Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Natural size. (Rh. 3607.) Fig. 2 Neuropteris heterophylla Brongt. Locality—-Trial boring, Claverley, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Horizon—Keele Group (1009- 1010 feet below surface—230 feet above base of Group). Radstockian Series. Natural size. (K. 3614.) Figs. 3-5. Sphenopteris Dixoni Kidston n. sp. Locality—Deep Pit Mound, Clee Hill, Shropshire. Horizon—Great Coal Seam. Westphalian Series. Fig. 3a, portion of fig. 3, x 2, showing form of the pinnules. Natural size. (K. 4073-4075.) Fig. 6. Samaropsis Outbieri Geinitz sp. Locality—? Railway cutting, 150 yards S.E. of Northwood House, J mile N. of Bewdley. Horizon—Westphalian Series. (K. 5223.) Fig. 7. Samaropsis emarginata Goppert and Berger. Locality—At back of building, Cooper's Mill, Dowles Valley, near Bewdley. Horizon—West- phalian Series. Natural size. (K. 2118.) Fig. 8. Carpolith.es membranaceus Goppert. Locality—Kinlet Colliery, S.W. of Highley, Shropshire. Horizon—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Natural size. (Pr. 1527.) Fig. 9. Garpolithes membranaceus Goppert. Locality—Highley Colliery, Highley, Shropshire. Horizon—Shales associated with Brooch Coal. Westphalian Series. Natural size. (Pr. 1293.) Fig. 10. Sigillaria distans Sauveur. LocaHfy—Chimney Colliery, Angelbank, Titterstone Clee Hill, Shropshire. Fig. 10a, x 2, Horizon—Bottom Coal. Westphalian Series. (K. 1413.) (Note.—All the specimens figured, except Plate V, figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10, which are in the author's collection, belong to the Geological Survey of England and are preserved in the Museum, Jerinyn Street, London.) Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin' VOL. LI.-PLATE I.

FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COALFIELDS.

K Kidston, Pliol<. M'Farlnue * Krekine, Edin.

Figs. 1-2. Cingularia typica, Weiss. Figs. 3-5. Oingularia Cantrilli, n.sp. Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinr- VOL. LI.—PLATE II.

FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COALFIELDS.

R KiilKon, Pilot" M'Fiirlnnc * Erdkinr, Eilin

Fig. 1. Sigillaria reticulata, Lesqx. Pigs. 2-4. Sigillaria transversalis, Brongfc. Fig. 5. Lepidophloios acerosus, L.& H.sp. Figs. 6-7. Annularia spicata, Gutbier sp. Trans. Roy. Soe. Edinr VOL. LI.—PLATE III.

FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTONE CLEE HILL COALFIELDS.

t. KMston, Photo. M'Farlane & ErskiDe, R

Fig. 1. Sigillaria Pringlei, n.sp. Figs. 2-3. Sigillaria nudicaulis, Boulay. Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinr VOL. LI.—PLATE IV.

FOREST OF WYRE AND TITTERSTOXE GLEE HILL COALFIELDS.

R. Kldston. Photo. M-Farhne t Erekinp. Etlin

Figs. 1-2. Sigillaria Candollei, Brongt. Fig. 3. Sigillaria Boblayi, Brongt. Fig. 4. Sigillaria distans, Sauveur. Trans. Roy. Soc Edin' Vol. LI.—PLATE V.

FOREST OF WYKE AND TITTERSTONE GLEE HILLS COAL FIELDS.

R. Kldstun: Photo. M'FarUno * Knklno, Bdlo.

PIG. 1. Carpolithes areolatuB, Boulay sp. FIG. 7. Samaropsia emarginata, G6pp and Berger.