XXxiv. THE SECOND WINTER MEETING. 



MOCK SUNS. INTERESTING PHENOMENON. The PRESIDENT read a letter from 

 the Rev. C. \V. H. Dicker, vicar of Piddletrenthide, who unfortunately could not 

 attend the meeting, sending a rough sketch of an interesting phenomenon which 

 he saw from Waterson Ridge as he was driving home on Monday, February 

 loth apparently a pair of " mock suns." They appeared in a bank of grey mist. 

 The discs were reddish, but sent out white rays. The apparition lasted, he 

 thought, from five o'clock to 5. 15. 



Mr. MIDDLETON recalled seeing a somewhat similar phenomenon many years 

 ago at Henley Regatta. The real sun in the middle, with a mock sun on either 

 side of it, had also a third mock sun immediately over it, and the three mock 

 suns were connected with the real orb by arching rays of light. Dr. FIELDING 

 said that such a sight was not uncommon on the Norwegian coast, where the 

 sailors and fishermen regarded it as a premonition of foul weather. 



The Rev. J. C. M. MAXSEL-PLEYDELL exhibited a small cross, apparently of 

 polished flint, which was recently found in a vault in Sturminster Newton 

 churchyard. 



A FOSSIL TURTLE'S HEAD. Captain ACIAND reproduced the rare fossil which 

 he exhibited at the last meeting, and which had been sent to the Museum by Sir 

 Charles Robinson, of Newton Manor, Swanage. It was then thought to be the 

 fossilised head of a Purbeck turtle. In order to obtain verification of this 

 supposition he sent the fossil to Dr. Smith Woodward at the British Museum, 

 who identified it as a Chelonian skull from the Purbeck Beds of Swanage. 

 Although remains of the shells of turtles were very common in the Purbeck Beds 

 of Swanage, yet only one skull appeared to have been met with hitherto. The 

 recent discovery of a second skull was, therefore, of much interest, and worthy of 

 a brief notice (which Dr. Woodward had kindly contributed). This skull 

 was exactly such as might be expected to belong to Pleitrosternum. Captain 

 Acland added that it would, he thought, be taken as a type specimen. 



THE VENUS PAVKMENT FROM HKMSWORTH. Captain ACLAND said that the 

 members would remember the interesting excavations carried out last summer on 

 the site of the Roman villa at Hemsworth, near Wimborne. Mr. H. Le Jeune, 

 who so actively promoted and assisted in the work, had that day brought down a 

 beautiful coloured drawing of the Venus pavement, made from measurements and 

 from photographs taken on the spot by Mr. G. Brumell, A.R.I.B.A., who had 

 kindly presented the drawing to the Museum. The pavement had, he was sorry 

 to say, been removed to the British Museum. He wished to express the thanks 

 of the Council of the Museum not only to Mr. Brumell, but also to Mr. Le Jeune, 

 for all that he did in regard to the excavation of the villa and for having 

 procured that beautiful drawing for the Museum. 



HERALDIC BADGE. The PRESIDENT read a letter from Mr. W. de C, Prideaux, 

 of Weymouth, who expressed regret that he was confined to his bed by a cold, 

 and who had sent three small shields used as pendant badges, one belonging to 

 the President and two to Sir Charles Robinson. A circular one he identified as 

 that of Sir William Arundell, K.G., whose plaque was in St. George's Chapel at 



