29 



the Society, but the many beautiful objects which had been 

 placed before him by various members induced him to col- 

 lect. Thus he went out to Jamaica with his mind pre- 

 pared to imbibe a taste for the study of the beautiful 

 objects with which these islands abound ; and hence 

 the occupation of collecting the many splendid specimens 

 which now adorned the table had been to him a source of 

 great pleasure and interest, after the anxious and laborious 

 duties which he had to discharge as president of the Court 

 Martial in the Jamaica trials. The case was then exhibited, 

 and contained many beautiful specimens of insects (princi- 

 pally butterflies and moths) and was much admired by all 

 who were present. 



EOMNEY MARSH-ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



This large tract of lowland has almost all been recovered from 

 the sea during historical times. In Roman times, a harbour 

 existed at the foot of Lympne mil, and there yet exists 

 the remains of the Roman castrum now termed Stutfall 

 Castle. In a.d. 833, King Egbert granted to the monastery 

 of Lyminge a piece of land at Sandtun, that was bounded 

 on the south by the river Limen (now named Eother), the 

 militaiy canal now occupying nearly its course. Subse- 

 quently the Rother shifted its course and flowed out to sea 

 at Romney, this was most likely before the Norman con- 

 quest. In those days the Rother flowed from Newenden^ 

 round the north side of the Isle of Oxncy, by Small Hithe 

 and Reading Street to Appledore, and from this latter place 

 to Romney its course was along the Ree Wall, the present 

 high road. "With regard to Dungcness beach, if true as 

 supposed by Mr. Drew, in his memoir on Romney Marshy 

 that the river at that time took its course between New 

 Romney and Lydd, it follows that all that great mass of 

 shingle forming Dungc beach, which lies to the east of this 

 point, must have collected since the Rother first came to 

 Uomncy. We have no accurate miips to guide us before 

 the time of Queen Elizabeth, during whose reign a chart 

 was maUt of the Marsh and Nubs. It appears from Mr. 



