[ *J7 ] 
qucntly withftand any confiderable Attenuation by 
Water, long enough to permit the chalky Particles to 
penetrate, fix, and convert it into its own Subfiance ; 
while other Woods, lefs tenacious, infenfibly wafic, 
and are carried off by the infinuating Liquid, toge- 
ther with the chalky Particles, which they not only 
could not arreft, but prevented effectually, by a Blend- 
ing andlntcrpofitionof their own Parts, from adhering 
to each other. The Reafons, why I apprehend the 
Procefs of the Whole to have been in the manner 
deferibed above, and anfwerable to my Suppofition, 
arc, firfl, the clofe Vicinity, I may almofi fay, Contact 
of the chalky Hills, upon which this Bed of Malm 
attends throughout the whole Line, and no farther. 
Secondly, That this Malm is an Alkalizate Body, in 
a Degree fomething inferior to Chalk, as I found 
upon a Trial, fome time ago, by putting equal 
Portions of each into equal Quantities ot double- 
diftilled Vinegar, and meafuring the Height of the 
Fermentation in a long cylindrical Glafs. Thirdly, 
The Reafons, which I gave above, for fuppofmg that 
this Valley formerly has been over run with Wood. 
Fourthly, TheDifpofal of the fevcral detached Pieces 
of Malm, which lie in all manner of Directions. 
Fifthly, The Refemblance which they bear to Roots, 
Trunks, Branches, Twigs, &c. Sixthly, Some addi- 
tional Obfervations, which 1 have made f nee my Re- 
turn {\ovc\ London ; andthofe,Ithink, are almofi dccifvcv 
In the Hollow of fome of the oblong tubular Pieces, 
which were doled at both Ends, upon breaking them __ 
open, I found the Remains of the included Wood 
attenuated to a mere Thread, which, though extremely 
tender, I could plainly difeover to be \Vood, both by 
O o o o hs 
