XIV. THE BIRDS OF KENT 



the northern portion of the county ; its southern escarp- 

 ment forms the fine range of hills called the North 

 Downs, which in some places reach an elevation of from 

 700 to 800 feet, and are conspicuous throughout the 

 greater part of the county. The crest of these hills is 

 m great part covered with woods, and from it the land 

 slopes down gradually to the valley of the Thames some 

 eight or nine miles distant, where the chalk dips under 

 the London clay. The whole of the higher part of this 

 plateau is very thinly inhabited, and many narrow deep 

 valleys run down in a northerly direction from the crest 

 of the Downs, having their sides and tops covered with 

 woods wherein the beech tree and the yew tree flourish. 

 In these wild, quiet, undulating, undisturbed regions, 

 many summer migrants find a pleasant home, and the 

 Hawk and the Jay live longer lives than in many other 

 places. 



At the foot of the North Downs lies a narrow belt of 

 stiff clay called the Gault ; this is chiefly grassland ; 

 further south still there is a belt of sandy limestone called 

 the Folkestone Beds ; these sands run from Folkestone 

 through the county, and with the Gault form the great 

 valley which is bounded on the north by the chalk downs 

 and on the south by the Kentish Rag, or Hythe Beds of 

 the Lower Greensand. These Kentish Eag hills form 

 an elevated plateau and run through the middle of the 

 county from west to east almost parallel to the north 

 Downs. They are a very noticeable feature in Kentish 

 scenery. Much of the most pleasing scenery and most 

 beautiful views are to be found in this district, the range 

 varies in width and is much wider in the middle of the 

 county than at either end ; it is broken and uneven and 

 many small streams come from it ; on its sides grow the 



