Mr. Barker’s Account, & c. 
zffi 
Chalk found in a new place. 
There is a great deal of chalky ground in the fouthern part 
of England ; I think it begins at the fea in Devonfhire, and 
one vein of it runs all along the fouthern counties to Dover. 
Another vein parts off from that about Reading in Berkfhire, 
goes by Dunftable, Baldock, and Gogmagog Hills, and fo on 
to the fea in Norfolk ; the whole eroding the kingdom in a Y. 
Along thefe tw T o diftrifts it is almoft all chalk to a great depth 
in the ground ; but out of them chalk is feldom found. I be- 
lieve it may be met with in many places in the countries 
between thefe two diftrids, and fometimes deep in the ground, 
where it does not come up to the furface ; but beyond the 
northern limits of them, which are at Wantage in Berkfhire, 
and over the river from Shillingford in Oxfordlhire, and at 
Maddingley by Cambridge, chalk is hardly any where to be 
found; no where in any confiderable quantity, unlefs it be 
much farther north, in the wolds of York (hire, beyond Poek- 
lington toward Scarborough. 
I did not know till lately that we had any chalk nearer us 
than Maddingley *, but feveral years ago, the people of Rid- 
lington in Rutland, digging for (tone to mend the roads, met 
with a bed of chalk ; at which they w-ere much furprized, 
and did not know what it was, having never feen a chalk pit 
before. After I had heard of it, I went to examine the place, 
and found it a regular chalk pit, with rows of flints lying in 
it as is ufual in the fouth of England, i he chalk is not loft 
like that they write with, but very much like that they dig 
about Baldock ; nor are the flints fo black as thofe in the fouth 
of England, but veined, of a light-coloured flint, and white, 
Vol. LXXXI. P p fame 
