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Petrological. — (i) Local: A series of flints and other stones,, 
found in our local gravels. Specimens illustrating the effects of 
faulting upon chalk and flints from the Purbeck Fault. A series 
illustrating varieties of flints found in local deposits from the 
chalk. (2) Stratigraphical: Specimens illustrating the mode of 
deposition and subsequent alterations of stratified rocks of various 
ages under different natural conditions; many local. (3) Igneous 
Rocks: Specimens of the more important varieties of granites, 
basalts, diorites, etc., from many localities. 
The above include collections of fossils which, though not 
actually in the possession of the Society, Dr. W. T. Ord, F.G.S., 
hopes eventually to hand over for incorporation in the main 
collection. At present the difficulty is to provide cases and the 
means for mounting and adequately displaying the specimens. 
The Dent Collection. 
The following brief description of the Dent Collection of 
Barton fossils is taken from the Presidential Address given in 
November, 1913: — 
The collection was brought together many years ago by the 
late Mr. Dent, of Barton Court, and his father, who were owners 
of the cliffs. It was described by Mr. Henry Keeping, curator of 
the Museum at Cambridge, as “ one of the best in the world, 
probably only equalled by the Edward’s Collection in the British 
Museum and the one at the Sedgwick Museum at Cambridge.” 
Before the collection was purchased it was carefully examined in 
behalf of the Society by an expert from the British Museum, who* 
reported: “ All the fossils are in a fine state of preservation, and 
such a series will probably never be obtained again.” 
There arc 800 specimens of vertebrate animals and 3,375 fossil 
shells. Some of the latter are of exceptional interest. There are 
several specimens of the rarer species showing slight variation ; 
also the gradual changes in course of development from the young 
to the adult stage. Of some species there are more than 100 
specimens. Some of these will be useful later for exchanges with 
other museums. 
One of the Barton Molluscs (Xenophora agglutinans ) is 
somewhat remarkable. Its living representative is known as the Car¬ 
rier Shell. It possesses the singular habit of accumulating during the 
formation of its shell different substances, such as stones, corals,, 
small shells, etc., which adhere to the shell and are carried about 
with it as it moves like a small tortoise along the sea bottom. 
When at rest it presents the appearance of a heap of stones 
casually thrown together. It is possible that by such means 
it escapes the notice of its emenies; while at the same time it may 
increase the resisting power of the shell. 
There are in the collection six adult specimens of Hippochrenes 
arnpla — one measuring 8^ inches by 6^ inches—in excellent con¬ 
dition. Of the genus Murex there are numerous species. Marex 
