XXX111. 



the attendance consequently small. The first paper on the programme 

 was on "Three Extinct Dorsetshire Elephants," by the President, and 

 referred chietty to the discovery of Elephant remains in Dewlish valley 

 during the preceeding 18 months. This paper was illustrated by Jin 

 excellent series of diagrams drawn by Mrs. E. M. Mansel-Pleydell, 

 which were hung round the Museum. The President, during the 

 discussion which ensued, described the character of the deposit in which 

 the remains were discovered and stated his hope to continue the 

 investigation of the deposit during the ensuing summer. Specimens of 

 the curiously polished flints, found in the overlying bed, were exhibited. 

 The paper will be found in full at the commencement of this volume. 

 The Rev. R. P. Murray read a paper on " Notes on Botany (chiefly 

 Geographical." This led to considerable discussion. The President 

 considered the presence of the plants enumerated in the paper need not 

 be attributed to the migratory route indicated by the author but to other 

 causes. They are all common southern plants, and have a wide 

 geographical range, and belong to a flora which had been pushed 

 down southwards during the Glacial period, at whose close, when a 

 milder climate prevailed and the bed of the North Sea was raised, the 

 Arctic plants retained their hold only on the highlands and mountains, 

 while the previously displaced flora regained possession of the area they 

 had been forced to quit. Many, doubtless, perished, while others 

 survived only in favourable nooks and corners isolated spots of which 

 the plants referred to in the paper were examples, as well as many of our 

 own rare plants in the county. 



Mr, H. J. Moule read a very interesting paper, entitled "An Old 

 Dorchester Minute Book," given at p. 17. The Rev. O. P. Cambridge, 

 F.R.B., author of the "Spiders of Dorset," : read a paper on the new 

 species which had lately been discovered, entitled " New and Rare 

 British Spiders," given at p. 107. 



The Secretary then read a long paper, compiled by Mr. J. S. Udal, 

 entitled " Natural History, Folk-speech, and Superstitions of Dorset," 

 given at p. 19. This paper, since its publication, has led to a consider- 

 able amount of criticism and discussion, particularly in the pages of the 

 Dorset County Chronicle, which space prevents appearing in the present 

 volume. It is to be wished, however, that the additional material, which 

 the original paper has been the cause of bringing to light, may be 

 gathered together and form a compendium to it in our next volume. 



This concluded the programme of the day and with it the work of the 

 year, 



