1S6 REMARKABLE STRATA OP FLINT. 



the eaft. The ftrataof chalk are very regular from two to fivtf 

 feet in thicknefs, and divided by Teams of flint from fix inches 

 to nine inches in depth: The flints are as ufual in nodules of 

 difl^erent fizes from the fize of the fift to twice the fizc of a 

 man's head. The whole dip northward with an inclination of 

 »t leaft 67 degrees. Perpendicular fiflures run through the 

 whole from north to fouth, the tides of which are nearly at 

 flat and fmooth as a wall. As thefe fiflures are followed with 

 convenience ip working the pit, an extenfive face was laid 

 open when I faw it, and the appearance was as in the annexed 

 Iketch. See Plata XI. On examining the beds of flint nearly, 

 I was aftoniflied to find that every flint, though lying in its 

 place, and retaining perfeftly its original fliape, was more of 

 lefs barft and fliattered, fome few were only fplit into large 

 pieces, but the greater part were broken into fmall fragments, 

 and fome abfolutely reduced to impalpable powder. From one 

 which had fufl'ered the moft, the annexed fpecimen was taken. 

 The powder was fo very fine that I conceived it muft have 

 been mixed with chalk; but on wafliing it with diluted marine 

 acid, I found that it was purely filiceous. Indeed the chalk 

 which furrounds thefe flints is uncommonly folid, and does not 

 exhibit cracks or marks of any violence except the great fif- 

 fures before mentioned. A fpecimen of the flint powder after 

 wafliing in the acid is fent with the other. 



I muft obferve that I had but an imperfect opportunity of in- 

 fpefting the flints which lay at a diftancefrom the fiflure, fucb 

 however as I could fee in the bed then working appeared to 

 have been lefs fliattered in proportion as they were more remote 

 from the fiflure, but all had fuffered more or lefs. 



About 200 yards below the pit, and nearer to Cariibrook 

 village, the road is in part cut through the chalk, and the beds 

 of flint expofed by that means exhibit the fame appearances as 

 thofe in the pit above. 

 Obfervaiions of The chalk pit above Shide Bridge, which is the only one I 

 the flints in j^^^j ^^^ opportunity of examining after my difcovery of the 

 phcenomenon above defcribed, prefents in fome degree the fame 

 appearances, but does not aflbrd fo good an opportunity of 

 viewing the ftrata as that at Cariftirook. The ftrata did not 

 appear to me to lie fo regularly nor the flints to be difpofed fo 

 much in beds as at Carifbrook. They were however ex- 

 tremely 

 4 



