182 The Twenty-first General Meeting. 



whom had worked cordially and heartily in the cause. Two years ago 

 Mr. Wittey, who was then Mayor of Devizes, threw himself zealously 

 into the work, and it was in great measure owing to his exertions 

 that the subscriptions were collected for the purpose. To Mr. Spicer 

 too, who was then High Sheriff for the county, they were in no 

 small degree indebted ; he had come forward and taken the chair at 

 the public meeting held to consider the question, and he had headed 

 a subscription list for the formation of the Museum with a donation 

 of £50, and it was mainly due to him that the project was carried 

 out so soon. For himself, he (the speaker) must disclaim any praise, 

 for he had had but very little to do with the Museum. The real 

 hard work had devolved upon his colleague, Mr. Cunnington, he 

 was the actual worker, and to him the very best thanks of the 

 meeting were due. 



Mr. Cunnington felt that he had only done his duty to the Society. 

 In its earliest days many difficulties had to be met, but year after 

 year he had been pleased to see it progressing satisfactorily. In 

 reference to the Museum, the speaker said it was a very difficult 

 matter to arrange so many specimens in a short time. He had had 

 valuable assistance from Mr. Jackson, Mr. Nott, Mr. Hillier, 

 Mr. Clark, and many others, including some members of his own 

 family. Still it had been a work of considerable difficulty. 



The collection of birds was a very good one, and among them there 

 were three specimens of bustards, one of which was the largest 

 known. Of fossils there was a very large collection indeed ; but his 

 desire to give prominence to Wiltshire specimens had induced him 

 to exhibit only such as belonged to the county. Consequently, the 

 display was not so large as it might have been. There was a large 

 collection bequeathed by Mrs. Wetherall, but three-parts of it still 

 remained in the drawers. Others had been presented by the Bishop 

 of Brisbane, and bequeathed by the late Col. Olivier. Mr. 

 Codrington had supplied them with some fine Wiltshire sponges, 

 during the past year. There were valuable contributions in coins, 

 while the collection of iron implements was a very fair one indeed. 

 The specimens of British pottery were particularly interesting ; some 

 of them are of elegant form, whilst others are remarkable from 



