curator farmed out his functions. The Conductor mentioned in this table had, it would appear, the full locatio conductio vectigalium, rerum, operarum et operis. Being clothed with such extensive responsibilities, the conductor of Aljustrel had colleagues in the shape of a socius, and an actor (sive syndicus, per quem quod communiter agi fierique oporteat, agatur, fiat), and he was allowed to sub-let on taking due guarantees. The lease ran from the " Pr[oximas] Kalendas] Julias] Primas," or 1st July, and the merces had to be paid at the beginning of each month, on pain of a fine of double the rent. Everything pertaining to the district was under the administrative direction of the Procurator Metallorum, and not the very smallest handicraft could be plied within his jurisdiction without his leave. Before concluding, I should like to draw attention to some of the language of the Table of Aljustrel, particularly to the apparently indifferent use of" sub" with the ablative and accusative, and to the employment of the two different radicals "caballos " and "equas" in the same sentence.

The materials which have at different periods of the world's history been used for writing might in themselves furnish the subject of a paper. In some excavations carried on by the Anthropological Institute at the camp of Cissbury," in Sussex, a number of

Described in the "Journal of the Anthropological Institute" for January and May, 1877, pp. 263 and 430, et seq., in papers by Mr. J. Park Harrison, M.A., who had the principal charge of the excavations. Still more recent discoveries at Cissbury, since the reading of the present paper, appear to increase the probability that these marks really constitute a written character, though its affinities are still doubtful. Some authorities, we are told, believe it to be Turanian, if such a term may properly be applied to any system of writing.

marks have been discovered on the chalk forming the sides and roofs of the pits and galleries, bearing the appearance of an ancient written character. Like the Wax Tablets of Pompeii the material employed at Cissbury, when first used, would be soft and easy of manipulation; and in this again resembling the Pompeian writings, the Cissbury inscriptions (if such they be), have been for centuries hermetically sealed. The veil has now been partially lifted from both; it were well to seek to lift it higher, for the study of the materials used for writing cannot but throw light on the various phases of civilization. Silver and gold, bronze and copper, palm leaves and papyrus, stone and chalk, ivory and wax, may each and all be made to bear their part in unfolding to us many a chapter of varied and stirring interest in the History of Man.

POSTSCRIPT.

It seems but right that I should add a few words by way of postscript on the new matter which has come to hand since this paper was read, in illustration of the Table of Aljustrel. M. Flach has reprinted his articles, which I cited from the Nouvelle Revue Historique de Droit, in an elegant pamphlet published by Larose, Paris, 1879. But as this is simply a reprint, I need only mention it as the most convenient form under which M. Flach's views can be studied.

The publication by Senhor Estacio da Veiga of his Text and Commentary" is of considerable impor

22" A Tabula de Bronze de Aljustrel, lida, deduzida e commentada em 1876. Memoria apresentada á Academia Real das Sciencias de

tance both in regard to the claim advanced for priority of discovery over Senhor Soromenho, and for the interesting evidence it affords of the substantial identity of the two distinguished Portuguese epigraphists. I do not think that I can better state my conclusions as to the question raised by Senhor Da Veiga than in the words applied to it in an article entitled "Roman Law in England and Belgium," in the Law Magazine and Review, No. ccxlii, for November, 1881.

"The two men (Soromenho and Da Veiga)," says the writer, "both ardent archæologists and epigraphists, were already at work upon the new treasure the moment its discovery was announced by the Trans-Tagus Mineral Company, on whose works it was found. It seems probable that Senhor Da Veiga had the actual first intimation of the find, and that he went at once to the spot, made all due investigation into the circumstances of the discovery, and set to work immediately upon the reading of the inscription. There are, of course, minor points of exegesis in which Senhor Da Veiga takes a different line from Soromenho. But these are simply differences between two scholars, such as are always to be expected, more or less, in questions of epigraphy or palæography."

The substantial identity of the several readings of the Table of Aljustrel is the salient fact which I desire here to record, as a guarantee for the position claimed on its behalf in the Law Magazine and Review as a valuable monument of the " rigid system

Lisboa, por S.P.M. Estacio Da Veiga, socio correspondente da mesma Academia. Lisboa. Typographia da Academia, 1880."

of caste, of monopoly, and of regulation of life and labour, under which men lived in the mining districts of the Roman Empire."

Text of the Table of Aljustrel, so far as relates to the subject of Præconium. From the "Nouvelle Revue Historique de Droit" (Paris, Larose) 1877, p. 408.

[Compared with and corrected by the text of Senhor da Veiga, whose readings are inserted within brackets.]

"Scripturæ præconii. Qui præconium conduxerit præconem intra fines præbeto. Conductor ab eo qui venditionem X L minoremve fecerit centesimas duas, ab eo qui maiorem X C fecerit centesimam exigito. Qui mancipia sub præcone [m] venumdederit, si quinque minoremve numerum vendiderit, capitularium in singula capita X, si maiorem numerum vendiderit in singula capita X III conductori socio actorive ejus dare debeto. Si quas res proc. m[e]tallorum nomine fisci vendet locabitve, iis rebus conductor socius actorve ejus præconem præstare debeto .. Qui mulos, mulas, asinos, asinas, caballos, equas, sub præcone vendiderit, in KI, X III. d.d. Qui mancipia aliamve quam rem sub præconem subiecerit et intra dies XXX de condicione vendiderit, conductori socio actorive eius d.d."

I HAVE been requested by your learned Secretary to bring under your notice this evening the first instalment of the Survey of the Holy Land which the Committees and Subscribers of the Palestine Exploration Fund have for so many years persevered in producing.

This portion of the Survey of Palestine extends from the Kasimîyeh or Litany River on the north to Gaza and Beersheba on the south, and from the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea on the east. It has been executed by a party of Royal Engineers trained on the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain, and under the command of Lieutenants Conder and Kitchener.

The whole of the surveyed area covers more than 6,000 square miles. The survey occupied seven years in the field, and more than two years in addition were spent on the preparation of the work for publication. The immediate results include :—(1) A large map on the scale of one mile to one inch, reproduced and published in 26 sheets, of which a joined-up copy is before you. (2) A reduction of the large map on the scale of about 2 miles to an inch, in six