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of Drax. Wm. Paynell, his son, in the reign of Henry I., founded a 
priory of Black Canons, dedicated to St. Nicolas, near the village of 
Drax, endowing it with the draft of nets in the Ouse, advowsons of 
Churches, bovates of land, and the various particulars of which such 
grants are usually made up. At the dissolution of the Monasteries 
the revenues were estimated at £121 8s. 3d. 
The seal of the Priory exhibits a figure of St. Nicolas in his episcopal 
habit and crosier, giving his benediction. The legend is “ S. Monasterii 
de Drax ad causas,” implying that it was specially used for legal 
proceedings. That given in the last edition of Dugdale’s Monasticon 
has the same device, from a deed in the records of the Duchy of 
Lancaster, but the legend is “ Sigillum Sancti Nicolai Episcopi.” The 
matrix from which the present seal was taken is in possession of 
Col. Thompson, of Kirk-Hammerton, to whom Drax Abbey belongs, 
and was exhibited to the meeting with some other articles found on the 
site of the priory. Its arms are three sheldrakes, allusive to the name 
Drax. 
In the volume of the Proceedings of the Archseological Institute at 
their Meeting at York in 1846 will be found an elaborate paper by 
the Hon. Mr, Stapleton, who followed the descent of the Paynells to 
his own time, and found that Lord Arundel of Wardour and Lord 
Clifford of Chudleigh were the existing representatives of the founder 
of the priory of the Holy Trinity. The granddaughter of the founder 
of Drax married Robert Fitzharding, of the noble Gloucestershire 
family of that name. 
W. S. Dallas, Esq., F. L. S., then read some notes on Zoological 
Specimens recently presented to the Museum. In reference to the Sea 
Snake, presented by Mr. Thomas Robinson at the last Meeting, he 
gave an account of the characters and habits of those Serpents, and 
added some considerations on the general belief in the existence of 
gigantic Sea Serpents, especially in the Northern Seas. The so-called 
“ pens” of the Calamary, presented by Mr. North, were described, and 
the general habits and structure of the animal indicated, and, in con¬ 
nexion with these, the occurrence of gigantic species of Mollusca, allied 
to the Calamary, was mentioned. 
May 6.—W. Procter, Esq., M.D., F.C.S., read a paper, illustrated 
by experiments, “ On Liquid Diffusion and Dialysis.” After some 
introductory observations it was stated that this subject had occupied 
the attention of Mr. Graham, the Master of the Mint, for a number of 
