XXXli. THE SECOND WINTER MEETING. 



PAPERS. 



The following papers were then read : 



(i.) " Parallel Banding in Old Mortar," by Dr. G. Abbott, 

 F.G.S., of Tunbridge Wells. 



The PRESIDENT said he was sorry that Dr. Abbott could not 

 be with them, and he asked the Hon. Secretary to read his 

 paper for him. The paper was illustrated with a. photograph of 

 the weathered stonework of the Military Arms, Messrs. Devenish 

 and Co.'s inn at Weymouth, near the Nothe, for Dr. Abbott stated 

 that the weathering of mortar, showing the common changes 

 which go on in calcareous matter all over the country, can 

 nowhere be seen to better advantage, than in Weymouth. 

 Lime, said Dr. Abbott, possesses a trick or selective habit as 

 pronounced as that of crystalline substances of arranging itself 

 in parallel bands, and the familiar ridges and furrows in old 

 mortar are apparently formed by the segregation of the lime, 

 which tends to leave the furrows and arrange itself in the ridges. 

 The fact that this habit of lime appears also to be the cause of 

 various other phenomena, supports the present theory. The 

 PRESIDENT said he was the more sorry that Dr. Abbott could 

 not be with them that day, because he could not agree with 

 him as to the causes producing the markings. It seemed to 

 him that the appearances might be capable of a more simple 

 explanation, and he read a note on the subject contending that 

 they were caused by the growing of moss. In support of his 

 contention, the President exhibited specimens of mortar from 

 a wall near Abbotsbury, showing the development of the 

 characteristic ridges and furrows by the growth of moss in 

 shrinkage cracks on the surface, gradually disintegrating and 

 widening the cracks into furrows (as opposed to the theory of 

 segregation). To shew the identity of the Abbotsbury and 

 Military Arms' specimens, he also exhibited some pieces of 

 mortar from the latter place, which had been photographed by 

 Dr. Abbott. 



(ii.) " Ancient Stones at Stinsford and Batcombe," by Mr. 

 Alfred Pope. This paper comprised two chapters from Mr. 



