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Proceedings. CXV 
The President’s Address. 
Lapies AND GENTLEMEN, 
It is once again a pleasure reserved to me to take a 
perspective view of the work accomplished by our Society during 
the last twelve months. Owing to my absence from the country 
in February and March, I regret that I missed the first two 
papers of this year. 
Mr. Marriott of the Meteorological Society, I understand, on 
February 18th, addressed the Society on ‘ Rainfall.” His re- 
marks on the atmospheric conditions necessary for the formation 
of rain, and its modified distribution over our island depending 
on the altitude or peculiarities of localities, were very interesting. 
Mr. Marriott exhibited a numerous and instructive series of 
lantern-slides illustrating his address. 
At our meeting on March 18th, Dr. Vaughan Cornish, F.RB.S8., 
being unfortunately, through illness, unable to give his paper, 
entitled ‘‘ Waves in Water, Sand and Snow,” Mr. Fawcett kindly 
volunteered and gave the members an exhibition of lantern- 
slides of Alpine scenery. 
On April 15th Mr. Pelton read an exceedingly entertaining 
paper entitled “‘The Japanese Sword-blade, its History and 
Legends.” After treating of the history and legends, Mr. Pelton 
drew attention to the care taken in the manufacture; he stated 
that both iron and steel were used, one blade being formed of 
bars of iron and steel alternately welded so as to produce a hard 
_ cutting edge and a softer tough back. In very ancient times the 
sword was straight, but later a curved blade was used, in each 
_ case, however, with a single edge. Since about 1877 the wearing 
of swords generally by the nobility has been abolished, and 
_ consequently many were acquired by curio hunters, but much 
_ @are and experience were necessary to recognize a good blade. 
Mr. Pelton exhibited a case of excellent specimens, one of which 
- dated back to the thirteenth century. Amongst them wasa lady’s 
_ dagger, also a dummy in wood sometimes worn as a substitute. 
On May 27th Mr. W. Murton Holmes read a very interesting 
paper on ‘‘ Foraminifera from the Gault at Merstham,” illustrated 
_ by some beautifully prepared lantern-slides by Mr. Baldock 
from drawings made by Mr. Holmes. Mr. Holmes went into 
details on the distribution of the multitudinous varieties of 
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