Calne, subsequently a canon of Salisbury, and finally Archbishop of Canterbury.

Other toasts followed, according to custom. In reply to the health of the MAYOR (Mr. Reynolds), who had warmly welcomed the Society to Devizes, and done everything in his power to facilitate the work of the Museum, that gentleman said, that although he did not pretend to a knowledge of archæology, there were many matters connected with the past in which he took an interest. He had noticed, and perhaps many present might have done so, the great desire which any one who had had the misfortune to lose a dear friend exhibited to preserve some memorial of him, and to remember what he was like; and the same feeling animated them with regard to their remote ancestors-they all desired to know how they lived, how they loved, how they fought, &c., all of which would, but for such societies as this, be a dead book. In this respect they were constantly meeting, as it were, with an oyster, with no knife well tempered enough to open it, and if the archæologists had done no other good, the busy, money-making people were under a great debt of gratitude to them for what they had done in this respect.

The officers of the Society, President, Secretaries, Secretary to the meeting, were all duly honoured; as were also the ladies, whose kind assistance at our archæological meetings adds in no small degree to their pleasure, and the company adjourned to the Town Hall for

THE CONVERSAZIONE.

The President took the chair at 7.30, p.m., when the following papers were read in succession: "The History of the Parish of Potterne," by the Rev. Prebendary Jones, F.S.A.; "On the Porch House of Potterne," by the Rev. A. C. Smith; "On Wolfhall and the Seymours," by the Rev. Canon Jackson, F.S.A. It will be unnecessary to make any extracts or to comment on these papers, as they will all appear in due course in the pages of the Magazine. Tea and coffee and other refreshments were liberally provided by the Mayor and Corporation, who left nothing undone which could conduce to the comfort or convenience of the archeologists.

SECOND DAY, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH. A thoroughly wet morning damped the ardour of some of the archæologists, and caused them to forego the pleasant excursion which had been arranged. Others, more hardy or more enthusiastic, carried out a portion of the programme, though they too were compelled by the elements to abridge the intended route. First they drove to Potterne, where the Ven. Archdeacon Buchanan received them at the church, and conducted them over the building, pointing out the many objects of interest in this grand old specimen of Early Gothic architecture, calling especial attention to the very ancient font, not long since exhumed, and by many supposed to be veritable Saxon; and here sundry details were discussed, and opinions were elicited, which are some of the most valuable results of our archæological excursions. Thence to the old Porch House, where Mr. Richmond, R.A., welcomed them with a blazing fire in the old hall, and courteously led them above and below stairs and let them wander at will, and gaze to their content; and a real treat it was to see so fine and so old a building in course of being so admirably restored. Thence to Eastwell House, which attracted due respect from its antiquity, and where our archæologists feasted not only their eyes, for Mrs. Grubbe had hospitably provided refreshments, and these too must be discussed. Thence, by a straight course to Keevil, omitting the intermediate part of the programme; and here the famous old Manor House, inhabited by Colonel Wallington, was visited and thoroughly inspected (thanks to the courtesy of its inmates), from garret to basement. The old timber house was also examined, and so, with a passing glance at Keevil Church, home to Devizes.

SECOND CONVERSAZIONE.

The President took the chair at 7.30, p.m., and again the company were regaled with tea and coffee and other refreshments by the very hospitable Mayor and Corporation of Devizes. Three papers were read, on the following subjects: "On a plea for the Moles," by the Rev. A. C. Smith; "On some curiosities of Parochial Registers," by the Rev. W. C. Plenderleath; and "on the Old House at Spye

Park," by C. H. Talbot, Esq. These too, it is hoped, will all appear in turn in the Magazine; and need not therefore be farther alluded to here.

At the conclusion of the meeting, as this was the last occasion of assembling in Devizes, during the present congress, cordial votes of thanks were moved to the President, to the several readers of papers, and to all who had been instrumental in catering for the Society, not forgetting under this head, the Mayor and Corporation.

THIRD DAY, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH. Again the skies proved unpropitious, and reduced the archeologists to a limited number, though, but for the inclement weather, very many had announced their intention of joining in the excursion today. Some fifty or sixty ladies and gentlemen, however, braved the elements, and accomplished the round. The route lay first by Bishops Cannings, where the elegant Early English church demanded a prolonged halt; thence over the downs, by Wans Dyke and the Roman Road, through Heddington and by Wans House, to Spye Park, where Mr. Spicer right hospitably entertained the Society at dinner, and indeed had made preparations to entertain double the number: and in truth double in number would the guests have been, but for the wet weather. Kind and cordial were the words with which Mr. and Mrs. Spicer welcomed the Society to Spye Park, and loud and hearty was the applause elicited by the proposal of a vote of thanks to them, moved by Mr. Wyndham. Spye gate was, of course, examined, and then by Chittoe Church and Bromham Church back to Devizes.

The following is an abstract from the list of articles kindly contributed to the Loan Museum. Many of them are of particular local interest, and attracted much notice during the meeting.

Those marked with an asterisk have been presented to the Society.

By W. P. HAYWARD, Esq., Wedhampton :—

Ammonites Sutherlandia, Ammonites perarmatus (disjointed cast), and Gryphæa, from Cale. Grit., Seend. Six weapons, of fine workmanship, from New Zealand and the South Seas. Ancient British urn, from Wilsford Down. Collection of coins, chiefly Roman. Australian bow. Portion of human cranium, of remarkably low type, dug up on Wilsford Down.

By the President, G. GOLDNPY, Esq., Chippenham :—

Original deed of gift by Maud Heath, 12th June, 14 Edw. IV.

By GEORGE RICHMOND, Esq., R.A., :—

An early pencil drawing by Lawrence, subject, a female head, with the inscription: "T. Lawrence, Devizes, 1787, aged 9 years."

By Mrs. COLSTON, Roundway Park:

Gold ornaments and Anglo-Saxon Bucket, from barrow on Roundway Hill. By J. REYNOLDS GWATKIN, Esq., Nonsuch House :—

Affghan Spear taken by General Dacres Evans, in the Affghan war. Sea weeds, from the Red Sea. Block of native tin, from Gwendron, Cornwall. Fossil tooth of Hippopotamus, from Sewalik Hills. Specimen of serrated coal. By Mrs. KENRICK, Seend :—

Crystals of black tourmaline, from Bovey Tracey. Fossil wood, Portland Oolite, from Swindon. Cabinet containing many hundred coins, chiefly British. Case of four gold medals, presented to the late F. Chamberlayne, Esq., by the Empress of Russia, through Count Woronzow. A twentyshilling and a ten-shilling piece, in silver, of Charles I., struck at Oxford. A two-sovereign piece in gold, of the same reign.

By W. HILLIER, Esq., Devizes:

Am

Carved club, from Fiji. Stuffed birds, viz., Green Woodpecker, Stone Curlew, Dotterell, Corncrake, Quail, shot at Winterbourne Monkton. monites, Lias, from near Bath. Fine specimen of Meandrina. A case of recent shells.

By. Mr. CUNNINGTON, Devizes:

Painting by T. Barker, of fossil horns of Bos, from Melksham. Bones of fossil mammalia, viz., Great Cave Bear, Hippopotamus, Bison, Reindeer, Rhinoceros, Mammoth, Gigantic Ox, Red Deer, from Westbury. Rhinoceros, from Bulford. Rhinoceros, from Bradford-on-Avon. Rhizopods, from the Drift, at Broughton Gifford. Tooth of Elephas primigenius, from Manningford. Shells, from the Drift, at Manningford. Crapaudine locket, (described vol. xii., p. 249), from St. John's churchyard. Two drawers of fossil Echinoderms, from Upper-Green-Sand of Wiltshire (40 species). Mass of Gryphæa vesiculosa, Upper-Green-Sand, Devizes. Mass of Gryphæa (exogyra) conica, Upper-Green-Sand, Little Cheverell. Remains of urn (restored), from barrow on Beckhampton Downs. Roman coins, and two bronze fibulæ, from Botley, near Baydon. Iron fibula, from Wedhampton. Flint knife, flakes, and pottery, from barrow at Oldbury Hill. Group of ferns, bleached by a new process. Sack pottle, 1562. Photograph of Magna Charta. Large case of paleolithic implements. Case of neolithic implements. Implements, viz., bronze celts, penannular brooch, and ring dial, from Oldbury Hill Two views of the Market Place, Devizes, date 1804 and 1818. Basket ornamented with Wiltshire mosses. *Cyanide of titanium, zinc, &c., a furnace product, from Westbury Iron Works. Diceras Lonsdalii, Lower-Green-Sand, from Calne. Ancient needlework, with design from Barker's Bible, dated, 1610. By T. B. Fox, Esq., J.P., Devizes :

Two glass cases, with models, to scale, of all the English cathedrals. Two early crayon portraits by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Twenty cases of stuffed birds. Eleven cases British birds' eggs, comprising 250 varieties.

German watch, temp. Elizabeth. Enamel portrait by Sir Peter Lelly. By Capt. WHITTINGTON, Fiddington :—

*Fine bow, "three arrows, *waddy, and boomerang, from Australia. By C. H. TALBOT, Esq., Lacock:

Iron instrument of uncertain use, from Lacock. Three veterbræ of Pleiosaurus, from Nethermore, Chippenham.

By Capt. BRADFORD, Mayor of Wootton Bassett:

The cucking stool (See Wilts Mag., vol. i., 68), from Wootton Bassett. Mr. WooD, Chippenham :

Veterbra of Pleiosaurus, Oxford Clay (from Drift), at Sutton Benger. By H. BUTCHER, Esq,, Devizes :

Plan of Old Sarum. Dore's map of Devizes. Autograph of the great Duke of Marlborough.

By Messrs. H. F. & E. BULL, Devizes :

Portraits by Sir Thomas Lawrence of his father and mother.

By H. N. GODDARD, Esq., Cliffe Pupard Manor :—

Encaustic tiles from Cliffe Pypard Church.

By Mr. THOMAS CHANDLER, Devizes:

*Brass horse trapping, 1759.

By Mr. J. R. GREGORY, London:

Twenty-three models of celebrated diamonds. Thirty fine specimens of minerals.

By the Rev. E. C. AWDRY, Kington St. Michael:—

Clog almanack, and engraving of the same.

By S. A. JEFFREYS, Esq., Melksham :—

Group of twenty-one stuffed specimens of rare British birds. Two specimens of the Wiltshire Great Bustard. Seven other cases of stuffed British birds.

By Messrs. GRANT & SON, Devizes.—

Stuffed mole, otter, and wild swan. Eight cases of stuffed birds, various.

By Mr. I. CLARK, Heddington:

Roman urn, imbricated pattern, from near Heddington.

By Miss E. CLARK, Heddington :

Embroidered apron with silver lace.

By Mr. JOHN BALL, Melksham :—

Two handsome old carved chairs. Five Indian weapons, &c.

By S. REYNOLDS, Esq., Mayor of Devizes:

Speed's Great Britain, 1676.

By the Rev. C. SOAMES, Mildenhall:—

Four rare British coins (including one unique specimen).

By Mrs. SPICER, Spye Park:

Bronze fibula, from the Old House, Spye Park.

By J. W. KING, Esq., Everleigh :

Water-colour drawing of Roman pavement at Pitney, Somerset.