Transactions. 87 



four inches deep, forming tlie surface of roadway as above. On 

 the east side there were three of the kerbstones in position ; the 

 others on the west side have been displaced the width of them- 

 selves from the line of kerb. On the west side I did not observe 

 any of the kerbstones in position, or, if there, they are hidden 

 by the irregular layer of large stones alfeady alluded to, although 

 a few yards south from the excavation some of the kerb stones 

 are projecting through the turf. The contour of the road, as 

 exposed in the section, did not show a regular curve, the layer of 

 large stones making it appear lob-sided, and spoiling its otherwise 

 symmetrical appearance. However, a careful examination of the 

 section reveals the fact that the line of the original surface went 

 under the large stones and not over them, and that the original 

 surface had been formed with a regular and symmetrical curve, 

 and but for a slight worn-out hollow under the large stones, was 

 still nearly perfect. I have prepared a drawing of the above 

 section to a one-inch scale, which gives a pretty accurate view of 

 the appearance of the section, and, as all the measurements are 

 given on it, is self-explanatory. The photographs_of the road 

 exhibited were taken by Mr Weir, at the instance of Dr 

 M'Donald, and give a general view of the excavation from three 

 different points. Unfortunately the trench forming the cross 

 section was not cut wide enough, and the shadows cast are too 

 dark to display the section clearly. 



Section at Coate's Hill. — The section exposed here was made a 

 few yards north from the footpath over the Coate's Hill to Evan 

 Water, and would be about a mile south from the Chapel Hill 

 section. In construction this section is different from that on 

 Chapel Hill. The depth is much about the same, but instead of 

 three distinct layers there are evidently only two ; but at the 

 bottom there is a thin black line, about one inch in thickness, 

 which has the appearance of peat moss. There was no appear- 

 ance of clay anywhere in this section, and all the stones are 

 smaller than at Chapel Hill; and the irregular layer of large 

 stones lying on the west side of road there are here lying on the 

 east. Dr M'Donald left the position of this cutting entirely to 

 the discretion of the man he had engaged to excavate it, without 

 seeing the place for himself, which was rather unfortunate, as the 

 place selected was far too near the footpath, and had been other- 

 wise much disturbed, so that anything like an accurate section 



