4 



NATURAL HISTORY 



descend as low as those rocks extend, 

 and no farther, and thrive as well on 

 them, where the ground is steep, as on 

 the chalks. 



The cart-way of the village divides, in 

 a remarkable manner, two very incon- 

 gruous soils. To the south-west is a rank 

 clay, that requires the labour of years to 

 render it mellow ; while the gardens to 

 the north-east, and small inclosures be- 

 hind, consist of a warm, forward, crum- 

 bling mould, called black malm, which 

 seems highly saturated with vegetable 

 and animal manure ; and these may 

 perhaps have been the original site of 

 the town ; while the woods and co- 

 verts might extend down to the oppo- 

 site bank. 



At each end of the village, which runs 

 from south-east to north-west, arises a 

 small rivulet ; that at the north-west end 

 frequently fails ; but the other is a fine 

 perennial spring, little influenced by 

 drought or wet seasons, called Well- 



