188 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — 1915. 



rubble with very little admixture of mould (in the form of seams). 

 The old turf, or surface, line (humus), and the dark brown material 

 immediately below it were found to be very clearly defined, and 

 measured on an average 3"5 in. in thickness throughout the cutting. 

 It ran almost level, and was reached at a depth of 14 ft. below the crest 

 of the vallum. 



Upon this ancient material Mr. Clement Eeid, F.E.S., who has 

 examined a dried lump, has kindly reported as follows : ' Brown silty 

 clay, with small splinters of flint and minute fragments of charcoal. 

 The matrix is mainly an insoluble residue from the chalk, with the 

 usual dark stain of mixed oxides of iron and manganese. It contains 

 also some very fine quartz-sand, probably derived from Tertiary 

 deposits. It is scarcely a soil, though it shows small roots; it is a 

 subsoil into which some charcoal has been kneaded. It corresponds 

 with the " clay-with-flints. " ' 



Samples of charcoal found in considerable quantity on the old 

 surface line were also sent to Mr. Eeid to be examined, and, like the 

 pieces from the fosse, proved to be beech. 



VIII. Relics found in the Vallum (Cutting X.). 



We were fortunate in selecting a favourable position, for a number 

 of relics were discovered on the ancient surface and elsewhere. Several 

 of the fragments of pottery, mostly very small, were recovered from 

 the old surface by breaking the mould up in the hands and sifting. 

 Flint flakes were very plentiful; metals were conspicuous by their 

 absence. One of the most interesting specimens is the finely-worked 

 bone pin. No. 186. A fourpenny-bit of William IV., 1836 (No. 178), 

 was found near the foot of the interior slope of the vallum in the turf 

 mould, depth 0'4 ft. 



The following is a detailed catalogue of the objects found in the 

 vallum cutting. All the depths are given vertically — below the turf 

 immediately above. O.T.L. = Old turf line. 



Flint Im.flements . 



190. Thin, sharp flake ; white. 



Found in the chalk-rubble, depth 6"5 ft. 



198. Scraper of comparatively rough workman.^ihip ; grey flint with a white 

 outer crust on the greater part of the convex surface. 



Found on the O.T.L., near the foot of the interior slope. 



199. Scraper of an elongated horse-shoe shape, length 37 mm., the crescentic 

 edge finely worked ; colour white, and pale grey in places. 



Found on the O.T.L., near No. 198. 



200. Saw of light-grey flint, with finely-worked serrated edge almost straight 

 (length 47'5 mm.). 



Found on the O.T.L., near Nos. 198 and 199. 



204. Saw of light-grey colour, calcined; the serrated edge (length 28'5 mm.) 

 is not so finely worked as in the specimens, No. 200 (vallum) and No. 211 

 (fosse). 



Found on the O.T.L., a little to the south of No. 200. 



206. Scraper of greyish-white flint of a long narrow form, length 41 mm. 

 The flake from which the implement was formed has a dorsal ridge giving a 

 triangular cross-section. The crescentic edge (width 24 mm.) is bevelled and 

 neatly chipped. 



Found on the O.T.L., near No. 200. 



