VII. Geological Notes on the Mountain-limestone of Yorkshire

Extract

Probably few geologists pass through Yorkshire en route for the North without paying a visit to the large and most interesting museum illustrative of local, as well as of general, British Geology, formed by Mr. Edward Wood, F.G.S., of Richmond. The joint papers by Prof. L. de Koninck (of Liége) and Mr. Wood on the new and remarkable genus of Crinoids, named by De Koninck Woodocrinus, in honor of their enterprising discoverer, which appeared in the ‘Geologist’ and other scientific journals, have given the genus an important standing among Crinoidea; but since that publication of the material acquired by Mr. Wood he has been so fortunate as to add extensively to his fine collection, chiefly through the kindness of his friend and neighbour Mr. Brown, J.P., who opened quarries on his estate at Holwith for the sole purpose of aiding the researches of Mr. Wood; and the wall-cases in the museum devoted to these fine Crinoids now present a wonderful richness of fossil-wealth. Amongst many other fine specimens I would chiefly notice the exceedingly beautiful specimen of Woodocrinus expansus, which is not only, beyond doubt, the finest ever found, but has a peculiar interest from the fact of its retaining, in a purple-coloured suffusion on the tips of some of the rays, which, with their attendant fringe of pinnules, terminate the arms, some indication of the animal substance which clithed them. This colour is probably due to a phosphate of manganese. As this specimen is thus doubly interrsting, I am much indebted to Mr. Wood for permission to have it figured in illustration of my remarks.