150 , Arcliceologia. 



Bad as Dr. Richardson thinks of tobacco, he regards it as less hurt- 

 ful than alcohol or opium, and no worse than tea and sugar. "With 

 this comfort, the smokers will feel able to enjoy their pipe, because, 

 bearing due reference to the conditions of modern civilisation, very 

 few scientific men would venture to assert that the moderate use of 

 all stimulants, or of sugar, is detrimental to health. 



AKCHiEOLOGIA. 



A very remarkable tumulus called Beller's Nap, in the parish of 

 Charlton Abbots, in Gloucestershire, has recently been excavated by 

 Mr. W. Lawrence, E.S.A. It is one of those tumuli commonly 

 known as long barrows, being of great length and elevation, and it 

 is situated upon high ground in a secluded district. Mr. Lawrence's 

 careful researches show that it had been constructed over four 

 distinct chambers, each formed of very large stones. These cham- 

 bers contained human skeletons, but unaccompanied with urns, 

 -weapons, or other objects. The huge mound was composed of 

 stones, in the removal of which, not effected without great labour, 

 some few fragments of pottery were found, which appear to be 

 Bjoman, or Romano-British, which means nearly the same thing. 

 The discovery of these fragments has suggested to some that the 

 mound had been, at some former period, opened and the chambers 

 rifled, but it was the opinion of the excavators themselves, and they 

 were probably correct, that this was not the case, and that the bar- 

 row had not previously been disturbed. Some of the skulls were 

 sent to Cheltenham, to be examined, it was said, by a cranio- 

 logist. One of the original entrances to the mound is very im- 

 posing, from the height and peculiar construction of the walls, 

 which commence at a considerable distance within the mound, and 

 extend on each side outwards, sweeping round and gradually 

 diminishing until they are only about a foot apart. They are com- 

 posed of lamina? of the peculiar slaty stone of the district, laid one 

 over the other, and resembling, in many respects, the walls, or 

 fences, of the fields, except that the former are built of smaller 

 stones. Mr. Lawrence is, we understand, preparing plans and 

 drawings for a detailed account of this discovery, which is to be 

 laid before the Society of Antiquaries during their next session. 



Excavations made by Mr. Earrar in Chedworth Wood, Glou- 

 cestershire, promise to lead to interesting discoveries. The founda- 

 tions of a very extensive Roman villa are being brought to light ; 

 some of the rooms have tessellated pavements ; and there is a 

 suite of baths provided with water by a reservoir of stone supplied 

 from a spring. This part of England appears to have been, in 

 Roman times, remarkable for the number and splendour of its 

 villas. 



A very interesting Roman villa has also been excavated on an 

 estate of Lord Eldon, about eight miles from Cirencester. It is 



