This pavement had subsided about 3 inches along the
middle of the passage, and two inches on each side, as could be
seen by the lines of cement by which the slabs had been originally
joined to the walls. The pavement had thus become slightly concave
along the middle; but there was no subsidence at the end close to
the house. Mr. Ramsay could not account for this sinking, until he
observed that castings of black mould were frequently ejected along
the lines of junction between the slabs; and these castings were
regularly swept away. The several lines of junction, including
those with the lateral walls, were altogether 39 feet 2 inches in
length. The pavement did not present the appearance of ever having
been renewed, and the house was believed to have been built about
eighty-seven years ago. Considering all these circumstances, Mr.
Ramsay does not doubt that the earth brought up by the worms since
the pavement was first laid down, or rather since the decay of the
mortar allowed the worms to burrow through it, and therefore within
a much shorter time than the eighty-seven years, has sufficed to
cause the sinking of the pavement to the above amount, except close
to the house, where the ground beneath would have been kept nearly
dry.
Beaulieu Abbey, Hampshire.
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