274 Report of Meetings for 1880, by James Hardy. 



the Sixth. Legion, styled the Yictorious and Faithful, took part 

 in the erection of the building in which it was inserted. The 

 Club next proceeded westwards from Birdoswald about two miles 

 to visit the red freestone quarry, which was extensively wrought 

 by the Eomans, now known by the name of Coome Crag. Here 

 Dr Bruce pointed out the inscriptions left on the face of the rock 

 by the Eoman workmen, such as secvrvs, ivstvs, and mathria- 

 Nvs. At the foot of the cliff is an inscription pavst, et rvs. cos. 

 — Eaustinus and Eufus, Consuls (a.d. 210). It was remarked 

 that whilst the rock in the immediate vicinity of this inscription 

 is covered with a smoke-coloured lichen, the letters themselves 

 are covered with a white lichen, thus rendering them very dis- 

 tinct." 



The lichens being grown in the shade are in that leprose con- 

 dition, in which species cannot be discriminated. The same sort 

 of appearance was seen in letters on a Eoman altar placed in the 

 shade at Lanercost. When bruised the green gonidise stratum 

 was manifest. 



Coomb e Crag is a most remarkable aggregation of rocks and 

 wooded scaurs. On the line of the portion of the wall examined, 

 hazel, bird- cherry, ash, and willow, were growing out of the 

 wall ; as well as Polypodiums and other ferns. Herb-Eobert in 

 flower ornamented the" remains of Birdoswald, and is thus 

 answerable to Sir Walter Scott's 



"flowers wliicli purple waving 



On the ruined ramparts grew," 



flowers that have not been identified. 



On returning, Gillalees Beacon, called also the Grey Fell, a 

 hill at a distance, which has on its top a cairn -like object was 

 visible. This is the ruin of a Eoman watch-tower by the side of 

 the Maiden Way. We crossed into a field at the place where 

 the earth-works of the Vallum are strengthened by a second 

 fosse, of which it is difiicult to divine the object, and then re- 

 crossed to the wall on its south side to examine the remains of a 

 turret. Its walls were 3 feet thick, and it measured 13 feet from 

 side to side. It was a turret of this kind, that Mr Clayton 

 cleared out at Tomertay hill near Walwick. We found a near 

 way by a foot-path across the fields, but it was near 6 o'clock 

 before the last of the travellers reached ih.e hotel. 



After dinner, and the usual toasts, Dr F. Douglas tendered the 



