liii. 



side of the arch as now at Charminster, but they have a long chancel 

 with pews on either side, the occupants of which look very out of place, 

 sitting between the altar and choir, and as for hearing the sermon, that 

 is quite out of the question for them, and they might just as well remain 

 at home. In conclusion, then, the moral of this story and the object of 

 this paper is to suggest the desirability of not leaving our parish churches 

 to the mercy of local clergy, churchwardens, or parishioners, but, follow- 

 ing our example in Charminster, advice should first be sought at the hands 

 of some committee or body of people interested in such matters, such as 

 our Dorset Field Club in a county like Dorset, which luckily possesses a 

 Field Club, or where, as in benighted counties, there is no Field Club, 

 then some committee of archaeologists should be formed to preserve 

 churches from ruin and the parishioners from unseemly squabbles." 

 The meeting terminated at 5.0 p.m. 



THE SECOND WINTER MEETING of the Club was held in the Reading 

 Room of the Dorset County Museum at noon on Wednesday, February 

 17th, 1897, about 50 being present. In the absence of the President, 

 through ill-health, the chair was taken by Rev. Sir Talbot Baker. 



NEW MEMBERS. Eight were elected, including Mr. W. H. Hudleston, 

 F.R.S., late President of the Geological Society. The Hon. Secretary con- 

 gratulated the club on this accession to their membership, and expressed 

 his pleasure at Mr. Hudleston having come to live in the county. 



EXCAVATIONS NEAR BLANDFORD. A letter from Rev. James Cross was 

 read, calling attention to the proposed widening of the line from Baillie 

 Gate to Blandford, and suggesting that the Museum should endeavour to 

 obtain any antiquities that might be found in the course of the work. 



DORSET SHELLS. The President asked for any information on this sub- 

 ject, as his book would be published before long. He had records of about 

 384 species, including the land and freshwater and also the marine species. 



THE MUSEUM ENTOMOLOGICAL COLLECTION. The Hon. Secretary 

 called attention to this, which was progressing very favourably and had 

 a good number of species represented. He hoped that anyone who 

 could do so would send donations of lepidoptera, &c., and shewed a box 

 of moths he had just received from Mr. E. R. Bankes. 



ROYAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. Sir Talbot Baker stated that 

 the meeting of the institute would be held at Dorchester from August 

 3rd to 10th next, and gave particulars as to the terms of membership, 

 &c., for members of the DDrset Field Club. 



BRITISH ASSOCIATION REPORT, 1896. This was acknowledged by 

 the club and presented to the Dorset County Museum. 



