390 DisTRICT:.

fed, probably, by the principal absorption of the hills; whose base and retaining strata, as well as their surfaces, doubtless, incline the same way. Westward of Croydon, par- ticularly at Carshalton, a river of water is continually rising.

Remark.‘The natural history of chalk hills, particularly what relates to the waters they absorb, and discharge, whether perio- dically or continually, is a fit subject for philosophical inquiry. One law appears to govern the whole: and this, perhaps, would not be found difficult to explain. It is not merely a subject of curiosity, or abstract science; but is connected with agriculture. The waters of chalk hills are of a singularly fertilizing nature; and the manner in which they are absorbed, filtrated, impregnated with the calcareous principle, collected, and discharged, cannot be deemed uninteresting to the student in rural knowledge. If, by any discovery of science, they can be brought more under command, or rendered more ge- nerally applicable, than they are at present, the research may become highly beneficial.

It may be observed, here, that, in dif- ferent parts of these hills, there are wells of three hundred feet in depth, and. passing through onecontinuous mass of chalk. Butno one, that hascome to my knowledge,exceeds that depth; even though sunk from the sur- face of the higher swells. This isan evidence,

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