23 



COMMUNICATIONS 



TO THB 



MONTHLY MEETINGS, 

 1859. 



March I. — The Rev. John Kenrick read a paper " On a Coin 

 of Mariniana" presented by T. S. Noble, Esq. Mr. Kenrick remarked 

 that the imperial personage whose image appears on this coin, is 

 absolutely unknown to History. Vaillant invented a pleasing romance, 

 that she was the wife of the unfortunate Emperor Valerian, who was 

 taken prisoner by Sapor, King of Persia, and that having died in 

 captivity, her son Valerian II. honoured her memory by striking this 

 coin. But this romance, like many others, has been destroyed by the 

 merciless hand of the chronologer. From a date on one of the medals, 

 it appears that she must have died six years before Valerian's Persian 

 expedition. As Valerian was twice married, and his sons, Gallienus 

 and Valerian, were only half-brothers, it is probable that she was his 

 second wife. 



The coin forming the subject of this communication is of debased 

 silver, and of rude execution ; the form of the letters is unclassical. 

 These characteristics suit the age in which it was produced. The 

 days were evil. The succession to the imperial throne was the subject 

 of perpetual wars ; the barbarians from time to time ravaged the 

 provinces, and a pestilence, which began in A. D. 252, visited, in the 

 course of fifteen years, every part of the ancient world. 



Mr. W. S. Dallas read a paper " On Foraminifera," with especial 

 reference to a small collection of fossils belonging to this group, 

 presented by Mr. E. W. Dallas. He stated that his principal object 

 was to call the attention of those members of the Society who were 

 attached to the study of Natural History, to a most interesting class 

 of objects. After describing some of the forms assumed by the minute 

 but beautiful chambered shells formed by the animals of this group, 

 Mr. Dallas indicated the diflferent views which had been entertained 



