23. YORKSHIRE. 277 



The SOIL invariably a black moor ; appa- 

 rently a mixture of vegetable mould and 

 fand ; refembling the moory foil of fens. 



Linneus, I think, calls this fpecies of foil 

 the depauperated foil of heaths ; but on what 

 grounds I know not. The moor of fens ap- 

 pears obvioufly enough to be compofed of 

 the decayed roots and other parts of vegeta- 

 bles, with a greater or lefs proportion of fand 

 and mud, walhed in among them while in a 

 date of growth. But how a fimilar matter 

 could be formed on the tops of mountains is 

 lefs obvious. Neverthelefs MOUNTAIN MOOR 

 has every appearance of a VEGETABLE MOULD. 



This mould, which covers a principal part 

 of the mountains of the Iflan.d, appears to me 

 a moft interefting fubjectof inveftigation. 



It varies greatly in regard to depth. On 

 the " low moors," where it has probably 

 been repeatedly pared off for fuel, it barely 

 covers the fand or gravel of the fubfoil : but 

 upon the higher more diftant fwells the co- 

 vering of foil is thicker ; frequently from one 

 to two feet deep of what is called " fat moor." 

 In the vallies, particularly towards their 

 heads, are peat bogs of feveral feet deep ; 

 T 3 buried 



