628 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1755. 



mises of erecting altars and other buildings to their honour, in case of a favour- 

 able answer. Which, when performed, they were said votum solvere, as the 

 letters v. s. here imply. 



The other inscription, on the lower altar, when expressed in words at length, 

 may be read in the following manner: 



Sulevis Sulinus Scultor, Bruce li Jilius, sacrum fecit libens merito. 



That the first word Svlevis denotes a name given to certain rural goddesses, 

 called Sulevae, is plain from an inscription found on a stone at Rome, and pub- 

 lished by Fabretti, in which they are joined with Campestris. The 2 next words, 

 SvLiNvs ScvLTOR, must, he thinks, stand for the names of the person who 

 dedicated this altar; as the 2 following, Brvceti f. acquaint us with that of 

 his father. The words Sacrvm fecit, in the last line, are of the same import 

 with dedicavit; in which sense likewise sacrum alone is often used. And some 

 times the reason of the dedication is added, as, sacrum, voto suscepto, fecit, in 

 Gruter. But that not being mentioned here, must remain unknown. 



There is nothing said in either of these inscriptions, which can afford any light 

 towards settling the time, when they were erected. But so far as appears from 

 the form of the letters, they may not improbably be supposed of somewhat a 

 later date, than that mentioned before, as found near the same place. 



XLVII. Of a remarkable Echinus. By Gust. Brander, Esq. F.R.S. p. 295. 

 . This echinus was of a very singular species. It appeared to be of a middle nature 

 between the echinus and the star-fish. It came from the island of Bourbon in 

 the East Indies, and he could not learn that it was any where described. See fig. 

 10, pi. xi. 



XLFIII. Of an Impression on a Stone dug up in the Island of Antigua, and 

 the Quantity of Rain fallen there for 4 Years. By the Rev. Francis Byam. 

 p. 295. 



This stone was brought from a quarry for a building in the town of An- 

 tigua: the quarry is in the side of a mountain, and is about 300 yards higher 

 than high-water mark, and about 2 miles from the sea. When the mason struck 

 it with his hammer it split in two, and discovered the exact figure of a fish, on 

 each stone, called an old wife. 



The quantity of rain that fell in Antigua, was in 1751, 51.8 inches; in 1752, 

 43.3 inches; in 1753, 32.8 inches; in 1754, 75.2 inches. 



XLIX. On the Stones mentioned in the Preceding Article. By Mr. Arthur 



Pond, F. R. S. p. 297. 



The impression of this fish is in a chalky kind of stone, of a pale ochrey co- 



