183 Society of Antiquar lea, 



up sacrifices to their gods. This exhibition and letter pro- 

 duced such a general emotion, that the venerable locks of 

 the hoary-headed antiquaries shook with laughter, although 

 the very learned author did not pronounce whether the bone 

 which he exhibited had belonged to a red or a ivh'itc bull ! 

 On the durability of a most porous bone Mr. Malcolm had 

 certainly never reflected, otherwise he would not have sup- 

 posed it above 1500 years old ! 



Several historical documents, extracted by Mr. Lysons, 

 were read, relative to the principles and conduct of the last 

 Welsh prince of Wales (in 1260), and his reluctance to 

 submit to the English domination. 



March 6. C. Orde, esq. vice-president, in the chair. — 

 Some of the antiquarian friends (not naturalistSy indeed,) of 

 a learned lady, having expressed their doubts if the inisletoe 

 grew on the oakj she ordered a search to be made, and ascer- 

 tained the fact, which was communicated by letter to the 

 society, and confirmed viva voce by one of the members, 

 who saw this parasitic plant attached to an oak branch sus- 

 pended in the hall of Berkeley castle. Our industrious an- 

 tiquaries seem to have forgotten that the visais quercinus, 

 or misletoe of the oak, has been used in medicine. 



An interesting letter to the president from the reverend 

 S. Weston, B. D. was read, containing a description of a 

 hitherto unknown brass coin of one of the states of antient 

 Greece. On one side was a head, and on the other a bunch 

 of grapes well executed. The following letters only were 

 visible — HT^P; the coin having been cut into an oval form. 

 The opinions advanced respecting it seemed to rest on mere 

 conjecture. 



March 20. The right honourable president in the chair.— 

 A mining instrument, found in an old mine near Castleton, 

 Derbyshire, was exhibited. It is of the figure of a common 

 gouge used by carpenters, about a foot long and an inch in 

 diameter. The upper part of it is covered with spar, which 

 is evidently formed upon it, and adhering to it on all sides. 

 It is thought that this mine has not been wrought since the 

 days of the Saxons ; but no opinion was given of the pro- 

 bablcL antiquity of the instrument, which is unquestionably 



much 



