198 BUEIAL OF THE REMAINS CHAP. IV. 



sand, little fragments of rock, bricks or tile ; 

 and such substances could hardly be agreeable, 

 and certainly not nutritious, to worms. 



My son dug holes in several places within 

 the former walls of the abbey, at a distance of 

 several yards from the above described 

 bricked squares. He did not find any tiles, 

 though these are known to occur in some 

 other parts, but he came in one spot to con- 

 crete on which tiles had once rested. The 

 fine mould beneath the turf on the sides of 

 the several holes, varied in thickness from 

 only 2 to 2 1 inches, and this rested on a layer 

 from 8| to above 11 inches in thickness, 

 consisting of fragments of mortar and stone- 

 rubbish with the interstices compactly filled 

 up with black mould. In the surrounding 

 field, at a distance of 20 yards from the 

 abbey, the fine vegetable mould was 11 inches 

 thick. 



We may conclude from these facts that 

 when the abbey was destroyed and the stones 

 removed, a layer of rubbish was left over the 

 whole surface, and that as soon as the worms 

 were able to penetrate the decayed concrete 

 and the joints between the tiles, they slowly 



