39 



The tesserae in both cases appear to consist of pieces of white 

 and blue lias, red brick or tile, and a purply red sandstone, all 

 of which were probably obtained not far from Bath. Many of 

 the stones are decayed and rotten, and would scarcely bear 

 handling when once uncovered, no doubt from the effect of wet 

 and corrosion in the ground, and subsequent drying in the air. 



Of course the question naturally arises whether these fragments 

 have any connection with those found some 25 years ago at the 

 adjoining Hospital and Blue Coat School, and I think there can 

 be very little doubt that they all belong to the remains of a 

 Boman building of some importance, but of which no sufficient 

 remains are left to enable us to form any definite idea of its 

 extent or plan. 



A great many irregvilar masses of concrete were found on the 

 site (apart from these fragments) at different points, but they 

 had been so broken and disturbed that no theory or idea of any 

 regular plan could be derived from them, although they all 

 appeared to be similar in character an^.of the well known Eoman 

 composition. 



The governors of the Hospital have taken great interest in the 

 discovery of these fragments of Paving, and have had them 

 permanently preserved in their new building. 



The Bournemouth Firs; considered as the Remains of an Ancient 

 Forest. Was there ever a Fwest of Firs on the Bills around 

 Bath ? By the Eev. Leonard Blomefield, M.A., F.L.S,, 

 F.G.S., &c., President. 



(Read Decemher Uh, 1885.; 

 No one who has been at Bournemouth, and noticed the fir trees 

 that give so peculiar a character to that place— if he take any 

 interest in the subject,— can fail to desire some information as to 

 their origin and history. Yet he would find it difficult to get his 

 curiosity satisfied, and be obliged, in great measure, to work out 



