166 



The stone is chiselled at the top, in front, and at the sides, but is roiigli on the 

 back, as if it had origrinally been prepared to stand against some other structure. 

 A small piece has been broken off the right angle of the shaft, and it is worn and 

 rounded somewhat by time and weather, but the capital and pedestal are still 

 fairly perfect. There has been an inscription on the front surface, and the capital 

 letters "DEO" are still to be made out, with some illegible traces of a further 

 inscription, but the stone is very time-worn, and nothing more can be made of it. 



This Roman altar was first found, in modern times, in 1821, when the 

 foundations for the billiard-room were being dug near the Hereford Permanent 

 Library in St. John Street. Mr. John Allen, jun., the excellent antiquarian to 

 whom Hereford owes very much for the preservation of many of its most interest- 

 ing antiquities, at once saw its value, and had it carefully placed on the Library 

 premises. It was afterwards removed at the instigation of the late Dean Mere- 

 wether, to the Literary and Philosophical Museum on the Castle Green. Its true 

 character and very great interest were now fully recognised ; its likeness was 

 carefully drawn and engraved, and it became famous. Archaeologists came to 

 Hereford especially to see it, and it was an object of great admiration. Time, 

 however, passed on, and the Roman altar shared the neglect and failure of the 

 institution it belonged to. It became quite lost, and enquiries were made for it, 

 in vain, at the meetings of the different ArchEeological Societies in the city. It 

 has now again been found, and although it has not been improved by the further 

 time, it is still in fair preservation, and will be more carefully preserved hence- 

 forward in the Museum at the Free Library. A rough sketch of the altar was 

 handed round for inspection. 



sowkeby's leptonia. 



A cluster of specimens of this very rare and interesting fungus, Agaricus 

 meleagris, was then exhibited by Dr. Bull. It had been sent to him by Mr. C. B. 

 Plowright, surgeon, of Lynn, and had the higher interest from being named after 

 the great botanist, Sowerby. 



It was then also announced that the second part of The Herefordshire 

 Pomona was nearly ready, and copies of the prospectus were handed round to the 

 members. 



HEIGHTS OP HILLS. 



The Pkesident then read to the meeting the figures recording the altitude 



of several mountains and hills more or less within the range of the Club, which 



had been recently procured for him from the Ordnance Office, by the Rev. 



Thomas Woodhouse. To this Ust we will add others in possession of the Club, 



marking by an asterisk those just procured . — 



Feet. 

 *Titterstone Clee, Shropshire ... ... ... 1,755 



1,789 



1,650 



1,424 



1,320 



