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been swept away by the waters of the Mein. Including its ram- 

 parts and ditches the station must liave occupied seven or eight 

 acres. Its form is that of a parallelogram, its angles are rounded, 

 it has four entrances, one on each side ; it is situated on a bluff 

 near a running stream, and it slopes gently to the south. All 

 these are features that go to establish its Roman origin. The 

 work of exploration was begun by driving a trench through the 

 north rampart and ditciies, so as to ascertain the materials com- 

 posing the former as well as the shape and size of the latter. In 

 the same way the inner edge of this rampart was exposed, as also 

 the entrance through it into the station. Such stone work as 

 occurs here is of a very rude kind. The structure of the main 

 body of the rampart reveals several points of interest. Other 

 incisions were made in it, and in the mounds on the east and west 

 sides. Everywhere there were found to be certain marked resem- 

 blances, but at the same time differences which seem at present to 



forbid theconclusionthattheenclosingrampartliadbeenconstructed 

 at one time and on one uniform plan. But further examination and 

 tlie study of various questions involved are required. As yet no 

 remains of a stone wall, such as surrounds the Roman stations in 

 the north of England, have been met with. So thoroughly has 

 almost every square yard of tJie enclosed space been turned over 

 in the search for building materials or perhaps for expected 

 treasures, during the many centuries Birrens was uncared for, 

 that the " finds " have been few and of no value to any one but 

 tiie archaeologist. Among them are a large bowl hewn out of 

 freestone, the use of which is uncertain ; a portion of a small 

 bronze Mgure of Mercury ; pieces of sculptured panels and other 

 ornamental work ; portions of querns, made of the so-called 

 Andernach stone, one of tliem hooped with iron ; two pieces of 

 an inscribed stone with well cut letters ; a small stone with the 

 name of the Sixth Legion marked on it in punctured letters ; a 

 small portion of a bronze vessel ; an altar with inscription defaced, 

 or a pedestal ; large nails and other objects of iron much corroded; 

 fragments of glass ; bones of domestic animals ; together with 

 numerous pieces of pottery— Samian, " biscuit," grey, and dark, 

 the Samian uniformly occurring in the lowest strata. It would 

 be premature to attempt as yet to say how far the successive 

 periods in the history of Birrens as a stronghold have been made 

 known by these still unfinished excavations. Much, however, 

 has been accomplished that is of permanent value. Birrens must 



