Piles were discovered in the lake at the south-east side of the island, in a space extending along its margin for about 100 yards, and about half that distance in breadth. Two years ago, when I visited the locality, the heads of piles were readily seen through the water, just cropping above the sandy bottom. In some cases it was difficult to distinguish them from stones; but a poke with the oar or a long stick at once determined which they were. Professor Stoppani, in his first report (B. 67), describes this as a steinberg, but the idea of the whole island being artificial--an idea first suggested by Desor, who found analogous instances in the Rosen Insel, Lake Starnberg, in the little island at Inkwyl, and in the Irish Crannogs--gained strength by the discovery of similar stumps of piles on its north-west side. Although the local antiquaries--Ranchet, Regazzoni, Quaglia, Castelfranco, and others--occasionally visited these lacustrine stations and made considerable investigations, with the result of adding to their private collections, it was not till 1878 that any systematic researches were made with the view of testing Desor's suggestion that the island was a gigantic crannog. This was first attempted by an Englishman, Mr. W. K. Foster, of London, who happened to be residing in the neighbourhood. In carrying out the necessary excavations he had the assistance of Ranchet and Regazzoni, both experienced investigators of lacustrine antiquities. Five trenches, covering on the aggregate about 80 square yards, were dug in different parts of the island, and in all these, piles, fragments of pottery (one of which had the impression of plaited reed-work), and various other relics of human industry, were encountered. In the sections presented by these trenches the following strata were successively passed through:-- 1. Surface Soil for about 14 inches. 2. Vegetable Mould, of a dark colour 10 " 3. Sand and Gravel 21 " 4. Sand and Earth, with much organic _débris_ 16 " 5. Sand and Mud (the original lake-sediment). The most noteworthy objects collected in these operations were as follows:--In the first layer a Roman coin of Marcus Aurelius, and a portion of a mould for a socketed lance-head (=Fig. 48=, No. 19). In the second, two fragments of bronze. In the third, two polished stone celts, with a portion of a third, and two clay weights. In the fourth, a flint saw with a wooden handle, two bone pins, and some sharpening-stones.