.357 



once stopped by one night' s frost. He however recommended two 

 trees that might be grown with this particular object, the Maiden-hair 

 tree (Salisburia adiantifolia), from China and Japan, which in the 

 autumn is of the brightest golden colour, and the Parrotia persica, 

 from northern Persia and the Caucasus, whose leaves in autumn are a 

 splendid mixture of gold and scarlet. 



EXCAVATIONS AT THE BATHS. 



Mr. C. E. Davis said he had promised to do his best to explain what 

 they bad been doing at the baths, but he had not put his remarks into 

 the form of a paper, because he feared that the paper would be too 

 long for the patience of the meeting. He would take up the subject 

 from what he said last year. He then mentioned that they were 

 clearing out the Roman drain with a view to cut off all possible 

 connection between the hot springs and whatever was impure. Last 

 . year they were at work under the Public Library when they found a 

 quantity of hot water which did not come into the King's Bath. The 

 exact spot could be seen on the undiscovered part of the plan of the 

 Koman baths in Mr. Scarth's " Aqufe Soils," which he believed, as far 

 aa it went, was tolerably correct, but it wanted identification, as 

 nothing was shown on it to fix any positions with reference to existing 

 buildings on the surface. He had traced the Roman drain still 

 further, until beneath Mr. Davies' house in the Churchyard it ran 

 towards the north, where it was turned through block stone cut into 

 semi-circular channels of 13 inches diameter, with a similar stone at 

 the top at some points. It then turned westward underneath the 

 Pump Room, where it formed a surface drain in a paving still existing 

 :iit. below the floor of the King's Bath. They were only working with 

 the money of the Corporation, and therefore could not go north to 

 ascertain the width of this gallery, wiiether it was an internal hall, an 

 atrium, or colonnade. They also found some steps, much worn, which 

 led up into a bath ] he concluded that the bath was drained by its 

 means. At the west end of the Pump Room the drain turned at right 

 angles to the south, enclosing the present King's Bath, soon after it 

 turned again to the west, but he could not follow it farther. His 

 object was to throw the hot water drainage into the Roman sewer, and 

 supply its place where deficient under the central vestibule of the 



