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105 
Mercury, in the Island of Fetlar,” one of the Shetland Islands. 
The facts attending the discovery were these. In an exposed 
bay, wherein the winds have piled up cliffs and dunes of blown 
sand, the fall of a portion of the cliff exposed to view a hole. 
A farm lass, noticing the hole, put her hand in, when her 
finger entering the neck of the bottle, she ran to acquaint the 
shepherd, who solved the mystery by bringing to light a bottle, 
the weight of which astonished him, as he could with difficulty 
raise it. On examination it proved to be filled with quicksilver, 
and weighed 100 pounds. The bottle, which holds about a 
gallon, is of earthenware, of the kind known as “Grés de 
Flandres,” or “Greybeards,’ a ware which was introduced 
into this country about the end of the 16th century, probably 
at the time of the wars of Exizapern in the Low Countries, 
and was in common use during the following century. No 
further history attaches to the bottle. It is a very pretty 
specimen, which Dr Wricur has had photographed for the 
Club “ Transactions.” 
The President next drew attention to two sword-shaped 
iron implements, which had formed portions of a hoard of 147, 
found twenty-three years since, within the ancient intrench- 
ment of Salmonsbury, near Bourton-on-the-Water. Similar 
implements have been found elsewhere, at Montacute, in 
Somerset, at Hood Hill, at Spettisbury, and at Pimperne, all 
in the neighbourhood of Blandford, and lastly at Milborne 
St. Andrew, neur Whatcombe, Dorset. They are all of the 
same type, and present the appearance of sword-blades in an 
unfinished state. They measure about two feet eight inches in 
length by two inches in width and one-eighth of an inch in 
thickness ; but they have this peculiarity, that where the tang 
or tongue for the handle should be, the iron is turned over so 
as to form a short socket, which is too small to admit the little 
finger. They have been a great puzzle to commentators 3 but 
the weight of evidence—which is of a negative character— 
seems to point to their being of the Celtic period. One of those 
found at Bourton was tested by heat in the forge, and beaten 
out, when it proved to be good hard steel. The President 
I 
