NOTES.
207
2nd, another specimen, this time a male, flew into a lighted room. Then I
bethought me of my fen lamp, erst used with much success in Cambridgeshire.
This I erected in my garden, but with no other result than that of frightening and
astonishing the unaccustomed natives. My experience of this species seems to
agree with that of other entomologists—it is very rare, and, even where it is found,
very scarce. How many English cabinets can boast of a decent series?—(Rev.)
Gilbert H. Raynor, M.A., Fairview House, Brentwood, October 18th, 1887.
Roman or Romano-British Remains at Felstead.—While the work-
men were digging out the site of the new siding and goods-sheds on the
Great Eastern Railway at Felstead Station, a quantity of interesting remains
were brought to light. The soil to a depth of eight feet was removed from a
considerable tract of ground. In this, at a depth varying from three to five feet,
were found innumerable pieces of broken pottery, brickbats, oxidised nails,
charcoal, bones, etc. These lay chiefly in what must have been shallow depres-
sions, reaching down in some cases to the undisturbed Glacial-gravel. The pottery
consisted for the most part of the bottoms and rims of jars and ewers of a coarse
quality, occasionally showing traces of a rude ornamentation. Here and there
were found scraps of red Samian ware ; five pieces of this ware found at intervals
of some weeks, fit together, and form about three parts of what had been a wide-
mouthed vase. The ornamentation of this is very fine, pairs of winged horses
and marine animals face each other alternately all round it. Other portions of
the red ware have human figures on them, but the pattern cannot be made out.
Several jars of the coarse material were found nearly whole, and a large one, dug
up before anyone recognised the nature of the remains, was set up as a target by
the men, with the desired results. Among other things were also found, the
greater part of an upper millstone of hard trachyte ; many tiles with the edges
turned up at right angles, pronounced to be portions of hot-air flues; a piece of
bronze, probably part of a clasp; several copper coins too much oxidised to be
deciphered ; and two silver coins in excellent preservation, bearing respectively
the heads of Antoninus Pius and Vespasian. These specimens tend to show that
the remains are either Roman or Romano-British. The existence of pottery in
this district has been known for some years, quantities having been turned up
when the line was made, and when the foundations of Mr. Worrin's house near the
station was dug. This gentleman states that his men have cut through several
pits containing charcoal and bones, while draining above the station, and that it is
not at all uncommon for the moles to throw up bits of pottery from their burrows in
certain places.—(Rev.) W. F. Evans, M.A., F.G.S., Felstead, October 8th, 1887.
Epping Forest.—We are informed that our member, Mr. W. R. Fisher,
M.A., barrister-at-law, has in the press a work which contains a history from the
earliest times of the Forest of Essex, the remains of which are now known as
Epping Forest. The work, which is illustrated by maps compiled by the author
from ancient documents, contains the general history of the Forest, including an
account of its ancient boundaries, of the disafforestations made by Henry III,,
Edward I,, and Charles I., and of the attempts of the latter to enlarge the Forest.
It also describes the laws and courts of the Forest, the duties of its ministers ; the
deer, and the ancient regulations concerning them ; it examines the nature and
origin of the rights of cutting wood and of pasture which prevailed in the Forest,
and concludes with a concise description of the circumstances which led to the
purchase of the wastes by the Corporation of London, and their dedication to
the use of the people. Mr. Fisher was one of the Counsel for the Corporation
in the battle of the Forest which culminated in the memorable judgment of Sir
George Jessel, of November 24th, 1874, and a book from his pen on the legal
history of the Forest will be looked forward to with much interest.—Ed.
Bees at Field Beans.—Referring to Mr. Reginald Christy's note in Essex
Naturalist, page 159, Mr. Fitch calls attention to the following extracts from
Darwin and Kerner, which furnish some very interesting details as to the occurrence
of these remarkable and somewhat mysterious structures in various species of
plants, and which offer an explanation as to their nature and probable use in the
economy of the plants. Professor Meldola has suggested that the glands, in some
cases at least, may be merely excretive in function, serving to free the plants from