X IXTRODUCTION. 



perimeter of such a figure would of course fall short of the actual 

 irregular outline, which is about 115 miles * {Camden). 



4. BouNDAEiES. — On three sides Middlesex is separated from ad- 

 jacent counties by rivers. To the south, the Thames divides it from 

 Surrey and Kent. The last county is only adjacent by its north-west 

 corner for about 3 miles, from a point opposite Bow Greek to the west 

 side of Deptford, corresponding in Middlesex to the eastern and 

 southern sides of the Isle of Dogs. The whole length of the 

 southern boundary is about 45 miles.f On the east, Middlesex 

 is divided from Essex by the Lea. On the west it is bounded by 

 another tributary of the Thames, the Colne. From Staines to Hare- 

 field this separates it from Buckinghamshire, and from Harefield to 

 Mill End, about 3 miles further north, from Hertfordshire. Both 

 eastern and western boundaries are about 18 miles in length. J 

 At Mill End the northern boundary begins, and, dividing the county 

 in its whole length from Herts, is very irregular in its outline, although 

 follo\sdng no marked physical or topographical features in the country. 

 The eastern half of the northern boundary lies about 5 miles farther 

 north than the western half. A line dra^sTi from Mill End to South- 

 gate would cut the western half no less than six times, although the 

 boundary would be nowhere distant more than about a mile on either 

 side of such a line. From South gate the boundary takes a north-west 

 direction, returning upon itself through Chipping Barnet, so as to 

 almost insulate the spur of Hertfordshire containing Totteridge and 

 East Barnet. A mile to the west of Chipping Barnet it turns north- 

 ward for about 4 miles, and then proceeds in an almost straight line 

 to Waltham Cross. 



5. ElevattojST of Sueface. — The general surface of the county is 

 a plain, sloping gradually southwards to the Thames. The northern 

 border is consequently the highest groimd, reaching from 400 to 500 

 feet. The surface itself is usually undulating, except near the rivers. 

 The whole country, however, in the south-west of the county, lying 

 south of the road from Brentford to Colnbrook, is remarkably uniform. 

 It is nowhere more than 20, and usually not more than 10, feet 

 above the Thames level at Staines Bridge ; nor is it more than from 

 3 to 5 feet above the surface of the water in the intersecting rivulets. 



Near the centre of the northern boundary are the eminences of 

 Deacon's Hill, Brockley and Elstree Hills. From these the high 

 ground extends east to High wood and Mill Hill (and to Totteridge 

 and Barnet, in Herts), and west to Stanmore and Harrow Weald 



* Fisher makes it only 100. t 43, iliddleton's Survey. J Enajc. Brit. 



