Page:Transactions of the Geological Society, 1st series, vol. 1.djvu/319

 forming low hills, the longitudinal bearing of which is in general parallel to the direction of the Malvern Hills. The dip of the strata is in general towards the west, but this is subject to much more variation than the bearing. It is in general of a bluish grey colour, but is sometimes of a pale brown, especially in the strata nearest the surface. It contains a great many organic remains, particularly terebratulites, and occasionally vertebræ of the encrinite, so common in some of the mimestones of Derbyshire: these organic bodies are most distinct in the upper strata. It is traversed in many places by veins of calcareous spar. The strata are thin, and present uneven waved surfaces; they are separated from each other by an argillaceous slaty coating, that becomes more compact the nearer it is to the limestone, to which it adheres so closely in some places, as to seem to be incorporated with it. This limestone is very similar to that found in the neighbourhood of Dudley, both in the mode of its stratification and in the nature of the rock itself.

§ 52. From the point where the road turns to the westward as mentioned in § 48, the ground for a considerable way to the south is covered with trees. There are very extensive plantations of the ash and the alder, all along this side of the Malvern Hills; the former being employed in making the hoops for the cider casks, and the other for hop poles. In the road which leads along the side of the hill from the Wych to Pearly Quarry, I found the argillaceous rock in a very loose friable state; the stratification of it however can be easily perceived. The strata are vertical, bearing N. and S. and they rise to about one third of the height of the hill. Between this place and Pearly Quarry, which is a short way to the westward, the rock is not exposed.

§ 53. At Pearly Quarry, the limestone strata are found; their beating