Parasites on some Mollusca. 179 



plants ; but it has in addition long filiform setae, which 

 Chcctogaster does not possess. 



The contents of the stomach of the specimen of Choeto- 

 gastcr, in which the division occured, furnish interesting data 

 respecting the food of these worms. Most numerous were 

 some oval bodies — transparent sacs, filled with very minute 

 green cells, doubtless cells from some small plants. Tolerably 

 plentiful were some circular bodies, of a deep brown colour ; 

 perhaps seeds of some type. Several species of diatoms were 

 nicely cleaned, and very perfect ; especially some small 

 Navicula and Cononema. 



37. — Romano-British Interments. 



By Mr. George Payne, F.S.A. 



[Read nth April, 1883.] 



I fear that my subject is one which is not altogether in 

 accordance with the work of your Club, but your President 

 assured me that it would not be unacceptable to you. 



I selected the subject of Roman Interments, having had 

 considerable experience in discoveries of that kind, and have 

 explored numerous graves near Sittingbourne, in Kent. As 

 much information concerning the manners and customs of the 

 early inhabitants of Britain is obtained from the contents of 

 their tombs, it is necessary that we should give these matters 

 our careful attention. 



I propose to bring before your notice this evening some of 

 the various kinds of interments of the Romano-British period 

 with which we are acquainted, illustrated as far as possible by 

 my own discoveries. When cremation was resorted to, we 

 usually find a group of vases placed around the cinerary urn, 

 the latter, which is either of glass or pottery, containing the 

 calcined bones. The number of vessels found in each grave 

 varies very much, and possibly indicates the worldly rank of 

 the deceased. In 1877 and 1879 two remarkable interments 

 were met with twenty yards apart, at Bayford, Sittingbourne, 

 containing respectively, twenty-two and thirty vessels. The 

 following is a list of the objects : — 



Grave I (1877). 

 Glass vessel containing calcined human bones. 

 Fragments of two glass vases. 

 Bronze goblet with handle 



Bronze lamp stand with crescent shaped handle. 

 Bronze jug with mouth in the form of a strawberry leaf; upon 



the base of the handle is the figure of a siren, in relief. 



