22 



The Eleventh General Meeting. 



in which they began to assemble at eight o'clock : all were welcomed 

 on entering by the Mayor, who had a kind word of greeting 

 for everybody ; and who most hospitably supplied his numerous 

 guests with suitable refreshments. Earl Nelson took the chair as 

 President, and introduced the several lecturers : and the amateurs 

 again enlivened the company with glees, which were admirably 

 sung, and formed a most delightful interlude amidst the heavier 

 work of the Society. 



The Rev. A. C. Smith read a paper " On certain peculiarities in 

 the life history of the Cuckoo, more especially with reference to 

 the colouring of its Eggs : " in which he began by refuting many 

 of the fallacies which prevailed respecting this bird : then gave a 

 general outline of its true habits : and brought before the Society 

 at some length the remarkable discovery of the eminent German 

 ornithologist, Dr. Baldamus, that the female cuckoo colours its 

 eggs so as to resemble those of the birds in whose nests she de- 

 posits them. The argument is too elaborate to be given here in 

 outline, but the paper will appear in a subsequent number of the 

 Magazine. 



At its conclusion, Earl Nelson conveyed the thanks of the 

 company to the Rev. A. C. Smith for his very interesting and 

 instructive paper. 



The Rev. W. C. Plenderleath next read a paper, written by 

 the Rev. W". H. Jones, F.A.S., on " Gleanings from the Wiltshire 

 Domesday," the principal object of which was to prove that the 

 names of most of the places on the borders of the county are the 

 same as those which were given in the Domesday Book of the 1 1th 

 century. A variety of instances were cited in support of the con- 

 clusions of the writer ; but as the paper will be published in the 

 Magazine, it is needless to enter into it more fully. 



Earl Nelson said that the thanks of the meeting were due to 

 Mr. Jones, and also to Mr. Plenderleath who had kindly volun- 

 teered to read the paper. 



Dr. Thurnam then read a paper on " Flint Blades of weapons 

 found in Tumuli/' and produced several very beautiful specimens 

 which he had found in barrows opened by himself, which belonged 

 to the late stone age, and which he placed At from 500 to 1000 



