44 
issue near the “Sportsman,” and from the Thanet beds of Pegwell 
Bay cliff, in these instances apparently from the Tertiary beds. 
Between West Hythe and Folkestone, south of the Chalk hills, are 
several springs. I would particularize those at Sandling Park and 
Saltwood, taking their rise from the Lower Greensand strata, and 
flowing out to the sea at Hythe. Similar smaller streams are met 
with at Newington and Cheriton, while another occurs at Lymne. 
By the seaboard from Folkestone to Deal many springs are tapped 
by the sea-cliffs. Among these I would mention a strong spring at 
Lydden Spout, which issues from the Chalk Marl, about 15 feet from 
the base of the cliff, which is about 400 ft. in height. The bed from 
which this water issues is No. V. bed in Mr. Price’s section, 48 feet 
above the Gault... At St. Margaret’s Bay are some very strong 
fresh-water springs below high-water mark. 
The way in which the Chalk strata absorbs, retains, and gives out 
the rainfall is strikingly illustrated in the wells and “ Nailbournes ” 
of the Chalk, to which I wish here to draw attention. Details of 
the Petham Nailbourne are to be found in the Proceedings of this 
Society for 1880.? I have before mentioned the source of the Lesser 
Stour as taking the character of a Nailbourne from Etching Hill to 
Beaksbourne. After a wet season the springs rise, as is apparent 
by the increase of water in the wells; those situated on the highest 
level being the first to show it, then successively the springs rise 
in the wells lower down the valley, till they overflow, or discharge 
their waters as a periodical stream; this stream runs down the 
course of the before-mentioned valley till it joins the permanent 
stream at Beaksbourne. After excessive wet seasons the stream 
comes from the highest level, but at other times lower down. It is 
evident, however, that the water is flowing as an underground 
stream long before and and after it appears at the surface. In proof 
of which I would mention the following facts. After a very wet 
season the stream flows all the way down the valley from Etching 
Hill Pond ; at other times it flows only above ground from Lyminge 
Pond; while at dry seasons it flows above the ground only low 
down the valley at Beaksbourne. After some wet winters the 
Nailbourne may run for two years in succession ; on other occasions 
it may not appear for two, three, or four successive years. 
Matthew Bell, Esq., writes to me to the effect that in dry seasons 
his ponds became dry when the Nailbourne was not running, and 
being convinced that all the time at Bourne Park the water was 
finding its way down below ground, he caused a trench three feet 
wide to be sunk across the valley, through the underground stratum 
1 Q.J.G.S. vol. xxiii. p, 431. 
2 See Mr. Hammond’s paper, E. K. Nat. History Society, 1880. 
