44 



addressing have sprung up around us, and instead of each 

 individual seeking " to hide his light under a bushel" wc 

 hope to emulate each other in diffusing that knowledge 

 ■which circumstances may have enabled some of us to attain. 

 A lengthened life of professional activity has given me 

 many opportunities of becoming acquainted with the pecu- 

 liar features of this county. I regret I have not made a 

 better use of them than I have done ; but my duties have 

 drawn me from those studies in which I early took a delight, 

 and therefore these remarks result more from the study of 

 authors which might have given me a more scientific know- 

 ledge of my subject. I well recollect, when botanising with 

 my schoolfellows in the north of England, I found a fine 

 specimen of osmunda lunaria or botrychium (as it is now 

 called). This gave me astanding with my fellow botanists and 

 I felt an inclination to continue the study of this beautiful 

 science ; but removing into Kent I lost my instructor and 

 have been unable to continue it. With societies like the 

 present this would not have happened; and I beg to suggest 

 to my young friends, who are now engaged in various 

 studies of that nature which surrounds them on every side, 

 in the air above and in the ground beneath, that as they 

 grow older they will reap a rich harvest from their labours, 

 with this great advantage that thfe store will be 

 always increasing. While writing these notes I was led to 

 expect that Mr. Wm. Harris would kindly endeavour to 

 diffuse some of his extensive knowledge of the character of 

 the soils, strata, and other geological peculiarities of this 

 district. I know no one more able to do so, as he -has 

 diligently devoted his energies to these subjects and gained 

 a lasting reputation therein ; however, if not treading too 

 closely in his footsteps, I may be allowed to allude to the 

 jivers and streams of this district to rtbich the strata he 

 has described give rise. In 1743 Dr. Christopher Parker 

 published a most interesting description of these rivers, and 

 a very accurate map (when we consider the materials he 

 had to make it from). I was not aware that a copy of his 

 map was to be obtained until I had thrown these remarks 



