STRATA OF THE S. E. OF ENGLAND. 59 



waterworn bones of land-animals, and branches, 

 leaves, and fruits of trees and shrubs, without any 

 intermixture of marine exuviae, we have unques- 

 tionable evidence that these strata are either the 

 consolidated deltas of rivers, or the sediments of 

 lakes of an extensive continent, which was clothed 

 with vegetation, and tenanted by terrestrial quadru- 

 peds. As the principles involved in these deduc- 

 tions afford an easy interpretation of the geological 

 phenomena of the Isle of Wight, I would fain 

 hope that the subject may be rendered intelligible 

 to the general reader, who now, for the first time, 

 enters upon an investigation of the physical struc- 

 ture of this interesting district. 



Geology of the south-east of England. — 

 Before we proceed on our excursions, it is, however, 

 necessary to take a comprehensive view of the 

 Geology of the South-east of England ; for as the 

 "beautiful Island," is but a detached mass of 

 strata, severed at some remote period from the 

 main land, a general idea of the nature of the for- 

 mations of which this part of Great Britain is com- 

 posed, will materially facilitate our comprehension 

 of many local appearances, which, occurring as 

 isolated phenomena, would otherwise be difficult of 

 explanation, if not altogether unintelligible. 



The numerous strata, or accumulations of sedi- 

 c2 



