XXIV. 



a bit of bronze or brass with EAR engraved on it. To some eyes the letters have 

 a Eoman look. Mr. Read, of the British Museum, says, however, that the frag- 

 ment is the tip of the long handle of a saucepan -like vessel, which seems to have 

 been used as an alms dish in mediaeval and later times. To Mr. Cunnington, too, 

 we are indebted for several other relics ; for instance, a javelin head. Mr. Balls 

 has given two quarrel heads. Both these gifts are from Stoke Abbot. The 

 remarkable finds at this place are hitherto very sparingly represented in the 

 County Museum. Only the other day a perfect little rude Celtic urn from For- 

 dington Field was acquired. A very valuable gift has been bestowed by Mrs. 

 Piidham, through Mr. Cumiingtoii. It is a fine ancient urn from Eidgeway. A 

 great prize was given by the Rev. J. G. Brymer a worked flint of a very rare 

 type indeed. It was found by him, with flint arrow heads, on Hod. Its end is 

 polished finely to a blunt cone. ' A good authority, the late Lord Northesk, 

 believed this implement to have been used for delicate secondary chipping of 

 flints. It is affirmed that only two like it exist. Mr. Hogg has lent a bronze 

 armlet found at Dorchester. The directors of the Devon and Cornwall Bank 

 have most courteously given to the Museum the tesserae of a handsome fragment 

 of Roman floor found in levelling the site of their new building in South -street. 

 The piece of ornamental floor has been drawn, taken up, and reset by Mr. 

 Feacey, and is now on view. It may here be noted that the Council of the 

 Museum thoroughly canvassed the county respecting the large sum asked for the 

 Olga-road Roman floor found in 1899. The canvass was in vain. Of mediaeval 

 and modern Dorset things just gone or going out of use a few have been given or 

 bought. From Mr. Ryall we have a very old leather "bottle," altered into a 

 nail and gimlet wallet. Mrs. Short presented an antique looking " brandis " or 

 kettle stand, such as are still sparingly used in hearth fires. She uses one herself. 

 The Rev. Canon Bankes has given a very good brass or latten spoon, of the 

 " Apostle" type, found at Studland. The figure seems to be a female saint. 

 This spoon is described and admirably figured in the " Purbeck Papers." Mr. 

 Carter presented a curious leaden ounce weight, and Mr. Gould a large old key, 

 both found here. Our friend Mr. T. B. Groves has lately given a double-bar- 

 relled pocket pistol, with flint lock. Its barrels are one over the other, and so of 

 course are the priming pans. There is an ingenious arrangement to prevent both 

 primings acting at once. Ingenious, too, is the triple screw fastening of a pair of 

 old iron handcuffs from Wimbome, given lately by Mr. Hogg. A curious gauze 

 and tinsel lady's dress was presented by Mr. Jacob. An old oak cradle from 

 Corfe has been lent by Mr. A. Bankes. It is specially interesting from its 

 bearing not only the date, 1674, but also the name of its occupant, John Uppill. 

 We are indebted to the Rev. C. R. Baskett for an interesting collection of old- 

 world crockery and glass, 26 pieces in all, gleaned by him from Dorset cottages. 

 Through Captain Acland's kindness we have acquired a flail and a " kevin rake," 

 used in connection with flail-threshing. Another recently obsolete implement in 

 use about farms is greatly desired by the Museum. This is a " plump" or upright 

 chum. Mrs. Short, who has often worked one, has most kindly tried to supply 



