70 Occurrence of the Cream- Coloured Courser in Wilts. 



" Itm one Steele and Iron Cheesel w ch was made to use aboute the playn- 



inge of the stoones w ch paved the Churche. 

 "Itm Lastely Two Beares to Carrye the Deade Boodyes Inn." 



K. 



On the floor of the tower, eastward of the font, is now placed a memorial stone 

 of peculiar interest, with the following inscription commemorating a former 

 vicar : — 



" Depositum Gulielmi Bayly 



Vicarii Mun ti in 



Ecclesia Merse Annos 46 



Qui Obiit Nono Novembris 

 Anno Domini 1691." 

 Query — what are the missiug words or word? Dr. Chafyn died in 1645 and 

 Mr. Bayly in 1691 — a space of forty-six years — but Mr. Bayly was not inducted 

 until 1661, at the Restoration, so that he only served the office of Vicar for thirty 

 years. It has been suggested that the words were " Munere Recti," which 

 would imply that he was vicar by legal gift forty-six years, though his place 

 was usurped for sixteen years during the time of the Commonwealth, 



|_The illustrations of Mere Church accompanying this paper are from photos by 

 the lie v. J. A. Lloyd, Vicar of Mere.] 



(bamtm of % Ct**am=colottttfo Coutw 



itt mm. 



so good as to place on record another occurrence of the 

 Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorius isabellinus) a very rare 

 bird, within the limits of this county ; for a specimen was killed on 

 the downs above Erlestoke, on October 10th, by Mr. Greorge Bovill, 

 within a very short distance of the spot where Mr. Langton killed 



