26 



MY GARDEN. 



in the garden of Mr. Philpotts. I was kindly permitted to open the 

 ground, and found the bed of flints which Mr. Henry Lee minutely 

 examined, and portions of fish-scales were discovered. Mr. Lee had 

 preserved a beautiful scale, which he had found when Mr. Sims 

 resided at the spot : this he permitted me to figure (fig. 36), but I am 

 grieved to say it was lost in the act. The fish is supposed to be a 

 species of Acrognathus or Aulolepis. It is figured the natural size and 

 magnified ten diameters. 



Nat. size. 



X xo diam. 



Fig. 36.— Fish-.<5cale in flint, probably 

 Acrognathus or Aulolepis. 



Fig. 37. — Group of fossilized shells. 



Above this bed, and higher up in the Lower Tertiary beds, a layer 

 of a dense mass of shells exists (fig. 37). It is to be seen at Lewisham, 

 and was cut across in making the Thames Tunnel Railroad. I am 

 informed that a layer of shells has been found in Paper Lane, Carshal- 

 ton, a spot where this bed might naturally be expected to be found. 



THE RIVER WANDLE. 



Through my garden a beautiful and celebrated trout stream runs, 

 called the River Wandle ; its transparency has been recorded by Pope, 

 — "the blue transparent Vandalis appears.^' The branch which runs 

 through the garden rises at Waddon, where it immediately turns a 

 flour mill; it is joined by a little stream which rises above Croydon, 

 and comes out at a culvert to the west of Croydon Church ; it then 

 passes to Beddington, driving a snuff mill, thence it runs through Bed- 

 dington Park to my garden, where it drives a paper mill ; and, after 

 passing a short distance by the estate of Mr. Graham, joins another 

 and larger stream at Shepley House, and becomes one river, which 



