632 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO J7I1. 



^n Account of some Antiquities lately found at Corbridge in Northumberland, 

 In a Letter from the Rev. Dr. Hugh Todd, (S, T. P.) Sub~Dean of Carlisle, 

 to Dr. Edmund Halley, F.R.S. Dated Carlisle, Feb. 17, 17 10-11. 



N^'sao, p. 291. 



The pretended entire skeleton of a prodigious monster of the human form, 

 about 22 feet long, has lately amused the country. The place where the bones 

 were found is Colchester, a mile west of Corbridge, Northumberland, on the 

 north banks of the river Tyne; formerly a Roman colony, but at present afield 

 of corn; nothing of antiquity remaining but some walls and rubbish; which 

 show it to have been a very large fortress. Stones, which have been dug up, 

 with figures and inscriptions upon them, have been all removed to Corbridge, 

 which has risen out of its ruins. There I saw altars inscribed, one imp. m. 

 AVRELio, another leg. ii. avg. coh. iiii. But the most remarkable, is that 

 which stands in a corner of the church-yard, dedicated to Hercules, in old 

 capital Greek characters. The characters are indifferently plain, and as I could 

 read them, as represented pi. 17, fig. 1 ; i. e. Herculi Tyrio Divina Dona, Archi- 

 Sacerdotalia, vel, per Summum Sacerdotem ofFerenda. The altar seems to have 

 been erected by some of the Asiatic Phoenician auxiliaries; who might be in 

 garrison here, near the frontier, under Urbicus Lollius, in the time of M. 

 Aur. Antoninus, about A. D. 140. The altar is very large, hollow at the top, 

 as usual, for incense; on the sides are engraved a bull's head, with garlands, 

 and sacrificing instruments. 



The teeth and bones, which were discovered, by the river Tyne's breaking 

 in upon the bank, were found near the foundations of the old fort; and neither 

 higher up, nor lower down, than the ruins of it seem to reach. I examined 

 the person who made the first discovery ; and was as exact as possible in the re- 

 marks, which I made myself upon the spot. On the whole, it appeared to me, 

 that there never was an entire skeleton found in that place. The teeth and 

 bones, lie in the bank, in strata; sometimes at one, sometimes at two yards 

 depth, for above 200 yards in length. In some places, there appears to have 

 been a sort of pavement or foundation of stone; which runs along with the 

 bones, stratum super stratum; sometimes above, sometimes below them. The 

 bones are of different sizes : the teeth, which are most perfect and entire, are 

 very large ; some 3 or 4 inches in compass : ribs, shank-bones, &c. many of 

 them not exceeding the ordinary dimensions of those of sheep and oxen. I 

 could meet with no remains of horns ; those being more easily corrupted than 

 the bones, which are of a harder substance. The teeth look as if they were 



