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section here given。 This pile was covered by a thin white layer of
decayed stucco or plaster； above which was a mass； presenting a
singularly disturbed appearance； of broken tiles； mortar； rubbish
and fine gravel； together 27 inches in thickness。 Mr。 Joyce
believes that the gravel was used in making the mortar or concrete；
which has since decayed； some of the lime probably having been
dissolved。 The disturbed state of the rubbish may have been due to
its having been searched for building stones。 This bed was capped
by fine vegetable mould； 9 inches in thickness。 From these facts
we may conclude that the Hall was burnt down； and that much rubbish
fell on the floor； through and from which the worms slowly brought
up the mould； now forming the surface of the level field。
A section across the middle of another hall in the Basilica； 32
feet 6 inches in length； called the AErarium； is shown in Fig。 10。
It appears that we have here evidence of two fires； separated by an
interval of time； during which the 6 inches of 〃mortar and concrete
with broken tiles〃 was accumulated。 Beneath one of the layers of
charred wood； a valuable relic； a bronze eagle； was found； and this
shows that the soldiers must have deserted the place in a panic。
Owing to the death of Mr。 Joyce； I have not been able to ascertain
beneath which of the two layers the eagle was found。 The bed of
rubble overlying the undisturbed gravel originally formed； as I
suppose； the floor； for it stands on a level with that of a
corridor； outside the walls of the Hall； but the corridor is not
shown in the section as here given。 The vegetable mould was 16
inches thick in the thickest part； and the depth from the surface
of the field； clothed with herbage； to the undisturbed gravel； was
40 inches。
The section shown in Fig。 11 represents an excavation made in the
middle of the town； and is here introduced because the bed of 〃rich
mould〃 attained； according to Mr。 Joyce； the unusual thickness of
20 inches。 Gravel lay at the depth of 48 inches from the surface；
but it was not ascertained whether this was in its natural state；
or had been brought here and had been rammed down； as occurs in
some other places。
The section shown in Fig。 12 was taken in the centre of the
Basilica； and though it was 5 feet in depth； the natural sub…soil
was not reached。 The bed marked 〃concrete〃 was probably at one
time a floor； and the beds beneath seem to be the remnants of more
ancient buildings。 The vegetable mould was here only 9 inches
thick。 In some other sections； not copied； we likewise have
evidence of buildings having been erected over the ruins of older
ones。 In one case there was a layer of yellow clay of very unequal
thickness between two beds of debris； the lower one of which rested
on a floor with tesserae。 The ancient broken walls appear to have
been sometimes roughly cut down to a uniform level； so as to serve
as the foundations for a temporary building； and Mr。 Joyce suspects
that some of these buildings were wattled sheds； plastered with
clay； which would account for the above…mentioned layer of clay。
Turning now to the points which more immediately concern us。 Worm…
castings were observed on the floors of several of the rooms； in
one of which the tesselation was unusually perfect。 The tesserae
here consisted of little cubes of hard sandstone of about 1 inch；
several of which were loose or projected slightly above the general
level。 One or occasionally two open worm…burrows were found
beneath all the loose tesserae。 Worms have also penetrated the old
walls of these ruins。 A wall； which had just been exposed to view
during the excavations then in progress； was examined； it was built
of large flints； and was 18 inches in thickness。 It appeared
sound； but when the soil was removed from beneath； the mortar in
the lower part was found to be so much decayed that the flints fell
apart from their own weight。 Here； in the middle of the wall； at a
depth of 29 inches beneath the old floor and of 49。5 inches beneath
the surface of the field； a living worm was found； and the mortar
was penetrated by several burrows。
A second wall was exposed to view for the first time； and an open
burrow was seen on its broken summit。 By separating the flints
this burrow was traced far down in the interior of the wall； but as
some of the flints cohered firmly； the whole mass was disturbed in
pulling down the wall； and the burrow could not be traced to the
bottom。 The foundations of a third wall； which appeared quite
sound； lay at a depth of 4 feet beneath one of the floors； and of
course at a considerably greater depth beneath the level of the
ground。 A large flint was wrenched out of the wall at about a foot
from the base； and this required much force； as the mortar was
sound； but behind the flint in the middle of the wall； the mortar
was friable； and here there were worm…burrows。 Mr。 Joyce and my
sons were surprised at the blackness of the mortar in this and in
several other cases； and at the presence of mould in the interior
of the walls。 Some may have been placed there by the old builders
instead of mortar； but we should remember that worms line their
burrows with black humus。 Moreover open spaces would almost
certainly have been occasionally left between the large irregular
flints； and these spaces； we may feel sure； would be filled up by
the worms with their castings； as soon as they were able to
penetrate the wall。 Rain…water； oozing down the burrows would also
carry fine dark…coloured particles into every crevice。 Mr。 Joyce
was at first very sceptical about the amount of work which I
attributed to worms； but he ends his notes with reference to the
last…mentioned wall by saying； 〃This case caused me more surprise
and brought more conviction to me than any other。 I should have
said； and did say； that it was quite impossible such a wall could
have been penetrated by earth…worms。〃
In almost all the rooms the pavement has sunk considerably；
especially towards the middle； and this is shown in the three
following sections。 The measurements were made by stretching a
string tightly and horizontally over the floor。 The section； Fig。
13； was taken from north to south across a room； 18 feet 4 inches
in length； with a nearly perfect pavement； next to the 〃Red Wooden
Hut。〃 In the northern half； the subsidence amounted to 5。75 inches
beneath the level of the floor as it now stands close to the walls；
and it was greater in the northern than in the southern half； but；
according to Mr。 Joyce； the entire pavement has obviously subsided。
In several places； the tesserae appeared as if drawn a little away
from the walls； whilst in other places they were still in close
contact with them。
In Fig。 14； we see a section across the paved floor of the southern
corridor or ambulatory of a quadrangle； in an excavation made near
〃The Spring。〃 The floor is 7 feet 9 inches wide； and the broken…
down walls now project only 0。75 of an inch above its level。 The
field； which was in pasture； her