120 
feet, from this higher ground numerous springs of water rise. 
One in particular, the ‘ Bottle-head spring,” deserves notice, 
as the flow of water is very considerable amounting to 200,000 
gallons per day of unusual good quality. Its history is soon 
told, being simply rainfall on an elevated area from 700 to 
900 feet percolating through Old Red Sandstone (shale) on 
the summit of Mendip. There can be no doubt that formerly 
the whole of the water from those springs found its way 
~ into the swallow holes. But with the march of civilization 
which always utilizes nature for the wants of man, the 
natural course of this water too has been tampered with for 
that purpose. First, the water from the large spring has been 
taken in an open ditch to drive the water wheel of Downhead 
flour mill ; even then, the back water from the wheel immediately 
enters a large swallow hole at the back of the mill, The next 
diversion was by Mr. Fussell taking the overflow of the Mill pond 
to drive the machinery at his ironworks at Chantry ; nature 
too claims her right by taking tithe of the water through its 
sinking away in the disturbed ground. And _ thirdly by 
many of the smaller springs being caught in tanks and the 
water conveyed away for drinking purposes. Still, a large 
amount of waste and overflow always has, and probably will, find 
its way into the fault. It also receives frequent contributions 
from rainfall gathering on and descending the road leading over 
the hill to Tadhill, and from springs rising in the hill—notably 
one rising out of the east side of the dyke—the water entering one 
of the swallow holes at the hack of Downhead mill, by a channel 
prepared apparently by the employ¢s of the Frome Highway 
Board. The quantity of water from this source cannot be much 
less than 100,000 gallons per day. But this is only a moiety 
of the water from this source; it is most reasonable to suppose, 
that a like quantity percolates into the course underground from 
the Limestone and Old Red Sandstone, making up the supply from 
the Mendip end to near half the delivery of the water at the 
Hot springs. 
