1 6 "Lincolnshire Notes & Queries. 



in various branches, we shall become a representative body 

 having a local habitation and name, and have much greater 

 facilities for an exchange of opinion and for the proper 

 collection and diffusion of facts. It must not, however, 

 altogether be inferred that nothing has hitherto been done by 

 the sons of Lincolnshire for the increase of physical science; 

 indeed, we have just cause of pride to see in our roll of honour 

 such names as Isaac Newton, of Woolsthorpe ; Matthew- 

 Flinders, of Donington ; John Franklin, of Spilsby ; Joseph 

 Banks, of Revesby Abbey ; and more recently, Charles 

 Anderson, of Lea. Of those now living, either within or 

 without our boundaries, who are doing good work, it would be 

 invidious to make direct personal mention ; sufficient is it to say 

 that we include amongst ourselves all that is both necessary 

 and capable for making this Union a great and a lasting 

 success. 



Lincolnshire is the second largest county in England, its 

 total length being 75 miles by 45 in breadth, and containing 

 1,783,769 acres, 85 per cent, under cultivation. The surface 

 presents a very considerable diversity of character, sea-coast, 

 marsh, wold, moor, heath and fen, and some very considerable 

 woodlands with much pleasant and typical scenery without 

 anywhere rising into the grand and strikingly picturesque. 



The county is not readily divided into what are called faunal 

 areas that is, districts more or less compact, with well-defined 

 boundaries, between which one or the other faunal dis- 

 tinctions can be clearly established. In taking a general 

 survey of the whole area it appears capable of being irregularly 

 divided into at least six fairly marked districts ; these are 

 I. The Marsh and Middle Marsh which is the whole of 

 the great alluvial flat which lies between the east coast 

 and the foot of the chalk wolds, as far as Spilsby. 

 II. The Fens south of Spilsby and Wainfleet and east of 

 Billinghay, Heckington, Bourn, and Market Deeping, 

 with a branch extending westward of the Witham to 

 Lincoln. 



III. The Chalk Wolds. 



IV. The Heath an irregular district, partly on the oolite 

 and partly on the lias, and not easily defined. In its more 

 southern portion it is split into two arms by the Witham 

 valley. It runs from S.E. to N.W., and includes the 

 heaths near Woodhall Spa, the moorland near Market 

 Rasen and below Caistor, and the commons and rabbit- 



