Page:The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms (1881).djvu/192

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178
BURIAL OF THE REMAINS
Chap. IV.

was carried away, we may agree with Élie de Beaumont, who, in discussing this subject, says, "pour une voiture de matériaux qui en sort, on y en fait entrer cent."[1] Nor should we overlook the effects of fires, the demolition of old buildings, and the removal of rubbish to the nearest vacant space.

Abinger, Surrey.—Late in the autumn of 1876, the ground in an old farm-yard at this place was dug to a depth of 2 to 2½ feet, and the workmen found various ancient remains. This led Mr. T. H. Farrer of Abinger Hall to have an adjoining ploughed field searched. On a trench being dug, a layer of concrete, still partly covered with tesseræ (small red tiles), and surrounded on two sides by broken-down walls, was soon discovered. It is believed[2] that this room formed part of the atrium or reception-room of a Roman villa. The walls of two or three other small rooms were afterwards discovered. Many fragments of pottery, other objects, and coins of several

  1. 'Leçons de Géologie pratique,' 1845, p. 142.
  2. A short account of this discovery was published in 'The Times' of January 2, 1878; and a fuller account in 'The Builder,' January 5, 1878.