ON THE NATURAL HISTOEY OF TISIOR-LAUT. 275 



pearance to the undisturbed earth, that the form of the ditch could not be 

 satisfactorily made out. This last circumstance, combined with the paucity 

 of the evidence obtained, determined the extension of the investigation, 

 and another cutting 7 feet wide was commenced on June 8. In this 

 second section no pottery was found, but numbers of flint flakes, and a 

 partially-finished flint celt, all on the old surface line, and buried well 

 beneath the rampart. Further evidence of human occupation in the way 

 of charcoal and burnt clay, marking the sites of fire-places, were also 

 found on the original surface. 



The evidence thus far obtained does not appear to the Committee 

 sufiiciently complete to enable it to form any conclusive oiDinion as to the 

 age of the earthworks, although the relics thus far found, conjoined with 

 the absence of all Roman remains, point to a very early, and most probably 

 prc-Roman, period. It is therefore proposed to continue the investiga- 

 tions, and we have to request that the present Committee be reappointed, 

 with the addition of the name of Mr. Worthington G. Smith. Full details 

 of the various objects found, with a description of the physical features 

 of the camp and its environment, together with a complete survey, will 

 be presented with the final Report. 



In conclusion; the Committee has to express its thanks to those mem- 

 bers of the Essex Field Club who have subscribed to the fund which has 

 enabled the investigation to be carried out, and especially to Mr. W. 

 D'Oyley of Loughton, who prepared the plans and sections for the use of 

 the explorers. 



Second Report of the Committee, consisting of Mr. Sclater, ]\Ir. 

 Howard Saunders, aiid Mr. Thiselton-Dyer (Secretary), ap- 

 pointed for the purpose of investigating the Naturcd History of 

 Timor-laut. 



By an oversight your Committee omitted to draw the sum of 501. 

 granted to them at the Swansea meeting of the Association. This o-rant 

 therefore lapsed, and your Committee have had nothing more at their 

 disposal than the lOOZ. voted by the General Committee at York. 



A communication was received from Mr. Forbes's I'epresentative in 

 London subsequent to the last meeting of the Association, in which the 

 following statement occurs : — 



' Mr. Forbes has been informed that the sending of collections to the 

 Association is a condition annexed to all such grants as that voted for 

 the Timor-laut expedition ; and as he could not fulfil such a condition he 

 feels compelled to postpone his expedition.' 



This communication was considered by your Committee at a meeting 

 held November 17. It was felt that the contribution made by the 

 Association would go but a small way to cover Mr. Foibes's expenses 

 and that therefore any claim to the whole of the scientific results was not 

 in any way reasonable. A communication was therefore made to Mr. 

 Forbes to the effect that the Committee would pay the lOOZ. in their 

 hands to Mr. Forbes ' upon condition of his undertaking to proceed to 

 Timor-laut and make collections. Of these collections, both zoological 

 and botanical, the first complete set is to be placed at the disposal of the 



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