XXVI. FIRST WINTER MEETING. 



CONGRESS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES IN UNION WITH 

 THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF LONDON. The HON. 

 SECRETARY stated that the Congress had met this year ; 

 but that, owing to war work, neither of the club's delegates 

 (Mr. Nigel Bond and Mr. Fry) had been able to attend. 



SHAFTESBURY ABBEY EXCAVATIONS. The HON. SECRETARY 

 read a letter from Mr. J. M. J. Dacombe, of Bournemouth, 

 in which attention was directed to the state of neglect into 

 which the excavations of Shaftesbury have fallen. " The 

 tiles and old glass which have been stored in boxes for further 

 examination," continued the writer, " have become heaps of 

 rubbish, boxes have rotted and fallen to pieces. The found- 

 ations of the walls and these heaps are overgrown with young 

 trees and vegetation. The tile pavements left in situ are 

 almost entirely destroyed, the severe weather of the past 

 winter having flaked off the decorated surface. One hardly 

 seems justified in uncovering these relics if they are to be left 

 as they are, for in a few years the site will be a level wilderness. 

 Cannot the Field Club do something ? " 



It was decided that enquiries should be made. 



TREE PLANTING. Captain ACLAND read a letter from 

 Mrs. BOSWORTH SMITH, of Bingham's Melcombe, in which she 

 expressed a hope that, in view of the large number of trees 

 which were being cut down, all who could do so would feel 

 it their duty to plant others. She was herself practising what 

 she preached, and, during the past week, had planted 26 

 young elms over six feet high all along the avenue, to take 

 the place of those which had fallen. 



EXHIBITS. 

 BY THE PRESIDENT : 



(1). A small Roman terra-cotta flask-shaped ornament 

 with raised designs. 



