260 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 



stated), and occupying a tract of land that measures roughly from 1,500 

 to 1,600 feet east and west, by from 200 to 250 feet north and south. 

 The highest mound measures 4"4 feet above the surface of the sur- 

 rounding field-level. The alluvium covering the adjoining fields varies 

 from 12 to 30 inches in depth. From borings made this year it was ascer- 

 tained that the depth of peat underlying the dwellings varies from 7 to 

 11 feet in thickness. Below the peat is a layer of soft grey-coloured 

 clay, lying on beds of lias stone. The recent excavations included the 

 examination of three dwellings, i.e., Mounds I., II., VI., the partial 

 exploration of Mound VII., and the west quarter of Mound V., together 

 with the intervening spaces of level ground situated in Field iv. ; also 

 the digging of several trenches on the north and south sides of the 

 marginal mounds in Field iv., with the object of finding the palisading. 

 Although the ground was examined for some 100 feet or more from the 

 dwellings, no border-protection was discovered comparable with that 

 which surrounded the Glastonbury Lake Village. 



Mound I. — This dwelling, situated in the S.W. quarter of the 

 village in Field iv., was 32 feet in diameter N.E. and S.W., with an 

 elevation of 1*84 foot at the centre above the surrounding level ground. 

 Its N.W. and W. aspects were incomplete, having been destroyed when 

 the boundary-ditch of the field was cut. It was composed of two floors, 

 the maximum thickness of the clay near the central picket being 2 feet. 

 No wall-posts were discovered. The hearth belonging to floor i. was 

 incomplete when discovered, and 7 inches below the surface; the 

 remaining portion showed that it had been paved with pieces of 

 sandstone. Floor ii. had four superimposed hearths, the uppermost 

 (hearth ii.) being paved with small stones, and the other hearths (hi., 

 iv., and v.) with baked clay. 



The substructure consisted of an artificially-placed heap of hard 

 dark peat, resting on the bed of the mere. No timber was observed in 

 the foundation. 



Mound II. — This dwelling-mound, situated in the S.W. quarter of 

 the village in Field iv., was 20 feet in diameter N. and S., with an 

 elevation of 0'98 foot at the centre above the level of the surrounding 

 ground. It was joined to Mound I. along the W. margin, and composed 

 of two floors, the maximum thickness of the clay near the central picket 

 being 14 inches. No wall-posts or hearths were discovered. The substruc- 

 ture consisted of a heap of dark-coloured peat, similar to that under 

 Mound I. The greatest number of relics was found below the level of 

 the clay floors, and included quantities of pottery, many fragments 

 being ornamented. 



Mound V. — The N. and S. diameter of this mound measured 

 21 feet, with an elevation of 1*49 foot at the centre above the surround- 

 ing field-level. Only a small portion of its W. side was examined, so 

 that a description of its construction and contents cannot be given until 

 it has been fully explored. 



Mound VI. — This small mound, situated N.N.E. of Mound I., was 

 16 feet in diameter N.E. and S.W., with an elevation of 0"8 foot above 

 the surrounding field-level. Its W. quarter was incomplete, having 

 been cut through in making the boundary-ditch of the field. It 



