In the western part of the county are the Quantock Hills, which in their culminating point, Bagborough Station, or Will's Neck, reach the height of 1270 feet. They consist of an elevated mass of a coarse gritstone, and belong to the slate formation which overspreads the north of Devonshire, separated however from the principal slate dis trict by an intervening tract of new red-sandstone, which formation nearly surrounds the foot of the range. At the northern foot of the hills Has occurs, covering both the red-sandstone and the slates. Limestone, gypsum, and copper are found in these bills. The greater past of the county west of the Quantock Hills is occupied by au irregular hilly district, forming part of the wild moorlands of Exmoor Forest, and extending into the counties of Devon and Somerset. This hilly district is bounded south by the valley of the Tone, and north by the Bristol Channel. It is occupied by the slate-rocks of the Devonian range ; but in some of the valleys near the coast these aro covered by the new red-sandstone. The highest point in this district is Dunkerry Beacon, which is situated a little to the east of the Black Barrow Down, and has an elevation of 1663 feet. Slate is quarried near Wiveliscombe.
There are mineral springs at Bath, Glastonbury, Alford, near Castle Cary, and Queen Camel, near Ilchester.
The coast from the mouth of the Avon runs about 15 or 16 miles south-west to Sand Point. About half of this extent is occupied by low cliffs, the remainder being chiefly marshy ground. From Sand Point tho coast runs southward to Brean Down, a bill of mountain limestone, precipitous on every side, and surrounded by the sea, except just at its eastern end, where a marshy flat connects it with the main land. On Uphill Bay, at the foot of Anchor Head Cliff, is the wateriug place of Weston-super-Mare. From Brean Down the coast runs about seven miles southward, and then westward about seven or eight miles along the south of Bridgewater Bay. The greater part of- the shore of the bay is formed by sand-hills, bounding the marshes which extend between the Mendip Hills and the lower offsets of the Quantock range. Towards the western extremity of the bay the coast is higher, and is lined by lies cliffs. From the extremity of Bridgewater Bay the coast runs westward 25 miles to the boundary of the county, and consists of alternations of cliffs and low ground. The coast is lined, with very little interruption, by sands, but except in Sand Bay, Uphill Bay, and Bridgewater Bay, they have little breadth. These three bays are filled up with sand, dry at low water, except in the channel of the Parret. The only islands are, Start Island, opposite Start Point, and Fenning's Island, both at the month of the Parrot; and Flat Holm and Steep Holm, in the midst of the Bristol Channel. These two islands consist of limestone, and are both girt with cliffs : there is a lighthouse on Flat Holm, nod soother on the shore near Bornham, opposite Stert Island. The only harbours of any importance are formed by the rivers Avon and Parret. The roadstead of King's Road is at the mouth of the Avon.
Hydrography, Communications, &c..-The Aron flows on or within the northern border of the county for about 31 miles, and falls into the restuary of the Severn at King's Road, 10 miles below Bristol. [Avox.] It is navigable up to Bath (where the Kennet and Avon Canal locks Into it) for barges, and to Bristol for am-borne vessels.
At the month of the Avon the spriog-tides usually rise between 40 and 50 feet. The Avon receives the Frome and the Midford Brook above Bath, and the Chew at Keynsham. The Frome rises not far from Bruton, flows northward past the town of Frome, and joins the Avon between Bradford and Bath; its course (of about 20 miles) is within or upon the border of Somersetshim The Avon is connected with the Thames by the Kennet and Avon Canal, which enters this county by the Dundaa aqueduct over the Avon, and then follows the valley of that river to Bath. The Somersetabire Coal Canal is cut from the coal-worka near Paulton into the Kennet and Avon Canal, on the border of the county : it is 91 miles long. Connected with this canal is a railway from the adjacent coal-works at Radstoke.
The Yeo rises at Compton Martin, on the northern slope of the Mendip Hills, and flows north-west 13 miles between them and Broadfield Down into the Bristol Channel. The Axe rises in Wookey Hole or Cavern, on the southern side of the same hills, near Wells, and flows north-west 21 miles, through the fiats at their foot, into the Bristol Channel, at the eastern extremity of Breen Down. The Brue rises on the slope of the chalk-marl and green-aand hills, on the border of Somerset and Dorsetahire, and flows westward past Bruton and Glastonbury, 35 miles through the marshy fiat between the Mendip and the Polden Hills into the restuary of the Parrot. It has been made navigable for about a mile from its month to High Bridge, whence the navigation is continued to Glastonbury (13 miles) by a canal, that runs parallel to the Brue, and at some distance from its left bank.
The Pared, anciently the Pedred, the principal river in the county, rises at South Perrot, near Bedminster, in Dorsetahire. It reaches the border of Somersetshire about a mile from its source, and flows northward for 15 miles, passing South Petherton and Langport, between which towns it receives the Isla on ita left bank and the Yeo on the right. From Langport the Ferret flows north-west 12 miles, through a marshy flat to Bridgewater, receiving midway between that town and Langport the Tone on the left bank. Below Bridge water the Parret has a winding course of 16 miles into Bridgewater Bay, receiving the Cary on Its right bank, and unitingjust at its outfall with the Brue. The Isle rises between Chard and Crcwkerne, and flows north and north-east 15 or 10 miles into the Parrot, through marshes which cover the tins formation. It passes near Ilminuter. The Yeo or Irel, not to be confounded with the Yeo previously described, rises in Dorsetahire, and flows first south-west and then northward to Yeovil, receiving several streams from the Dorsetshire chalk downs on the left bank. From Yeovil It flows in a circuitous course north-north-west to Ilchester, and thence westsoorth-west through marshes into the Parret, at Langport. The Tone rises In the southern slope of Brendon 11A1, north-west of Wiveliscombe, and flows 10 miles south to the Devonshire border; it then turns eastward and flows 23 miles through the vale and past the town of Taunton into the Parrot, on the north-western aide of the Isle of Athelney. The Cary rises near Castle Cary, and flows westward through the marshes, across which It flows in an artificial bed, called the Sedgemoor Cut, Into the Parret; its whole course is about 30 miles.