ox THE TORRES STRAITS ANTHROPOLOGICAL EXPEDITION. 689 



Moresby we made a short excursion to the Astrolabe Range, and measured 

 a few Taburi natives. Some mountaineers who visited Port Moresby 

 were also measured and had their eyesight tested. Dr. Seligmann paid a 

 visit to the Rigo district, and had not returned at the time this was 

 written ; he will remain some time longer in this part of New Guinea. 

 The rest of us left Port Moresby on July 7, and spent a few days in the 

 Jieighbourhood of Hall Sound and in the Mekeo district. Murray Island 

 was reached on July 20. Drs. Rivers, MacDougall, and Myers have 

 •obtained a large number of observations in experimental psychology, 

 which promise to be of great interest. The whole of the party have 

 enjoyed good health so far, no serious case of illness having occurred. 



iSllchester Excavation. — Report of the Committee, consisting of Mr. 

 A. J. Evans (Chairman), Mr. John L. Myres (Secretary), and 

 Mr. E. W. Brabrook, appointed to co-operate with the Silchester 

 Excavation Fund Gomndttee in their Explorations. 



The excavations at Silchester in 1897 were begun on May 3, and 

 continued, with the usual interval during the harvest, until November 4. 



The area selectedf or excavation included two insit^fc (X VII. and XVIII.), 

 ■extending from insula III. (which was excavated in 1891) to the south 

 jgate, and lying on the west side of the main street thi'ough the city from 

 north to south {v. plan). Tlie area in question contains about five acres. 



The northern margin of insula XVII. is entirely filled with the 

 foundations of two large houses of the courtyard type, presenting several 

 unusual features. The southern part of the insula contained the remains 

 of a house of the corridor type of early date, portions of apparently two 

 other houses of the same type, and two detached structures warmed by 

 hypocausts and furnished with external furnaces, perhaps for boilers, of 

 which no examples have hitherto been met with at Silchester. Near one 

 of these was discovered a well containing at the bottom a woode?i tub in 

 an exceptional state of preservation. It will be added to the collection in 

 the Reading Museum. 



Insida XVIII., like XVII., has the northern fringe entirely covered 

 with the foundations of buildings. These belonged to one house of 

 "unusual size and plan, and perhaps two other houses. The remainder of 

 the insula is unusually free from buildings, and even rubbish pits. It 

 contains, however, towaixls the south gate, foundations of an interesting 

 ■corridor house with an attached inclosure containing six circular rubble 

 bases. It is possible that these are the supports for stone querns, and 

 that the building was actually a fiour mill. In a well near this building 

 were discovered two more tubs, which have been successfully raised and 

 preserved. 



The architectural fragments discovered in 1897 were few in number : 

 among them were a terra-cotta antefix, parts of two inscribed tiles and of 

 a marble mortar, a stone slab with moulded edge, apparently portion of a 

 pedestal or some such object, and two fragments of capitals, evidently 

 from the basilica. 



The finds in bronze, iron, and bone are of the usual character. Among 

 the bronze articles are two good enamelled brooches, several chains, and a 

 ■curious socketed object surmounted by the head of an eagle — perhaps to fit 

 on a staff. The finds in bone and glass wei'e unimportant. 



1898. Y Y 



