RIBY.LPOOL.

Scale For Articles Nes 1 to 5- Articles 6 to 10 are actual size.

5. Bag from the same district, made by Omagua and Cucana women. It is like crochet-work; but it is made by bits of wood, and small bones of fishes and fowls.

By Thomas Gibson, sen., Esq.

1. A peculiar Turkish dagger, with a very curious handle, at right angles to the blade, which bore several inscriptions and the Turkish crescent.

2. A gilded carving, shewing a Chinese marriage; a legging and a small boot worn by a Chinese lady.

3. Beautiful grass cordage, from the Fiji islands.

4. Two model boats from the Eastern seas.

5. A dagger, from South Africa, of the horn of the Oryx.

6. Two bottle gourds and several calabashes, plain and ornamented, for use as water bottles.

7. An Indian war rattle, containing two wooden bells.

8. Numerous clubs, including the nulla-nulla with spherical head, from Australia; club of the gum tree; also a club in the form of a pick-axe, but intended to imitate the pelican's head.

9. Three blunderbuses, two of which are said to have been picked up after a battle in the Irish rebellion.

10. An ancient relic, with a Scotch legend relative to the building of Holyrood palace.

By James Bromley, Esq.

A glass water bottle of the 13th century, found near the Roman camp at Caerwys, Flintshire.

The following paper was then read :—

NOTES ON RECENT DISCOVEKIES IN ORMSKIRK CHURCH, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, by James Dixon, Esq., F.R.H.S.

December 13th, 1877.

The Rev. CANON HUME, D.C.L., Vice-President, in the Chair. The following objects were exhibited :

By Charles Potter, Esq.

1. An ancient shield of leather, round in shape, and composed of various pieces joined together. The lower side still exhibits the large wooden handle fastened across the semi-circular hollow of the iron umbo. The shield is about 14 inches in diameter, and it bears evident traces of some material which served to cement the leather on a frame. There are also marks showing that the surface of the shield was ornamented with three circles of studs. As nothing remained of the studs or the

frame, it is possible they were removed previous to the shield being left or lost by its original possessor. (Pl. VIII, fig. 1.) 2. A spear-shaped blade, found with the shield, probably its companion in warfare.

By the Rev. Canon Hume.

Three

Four small teapots, as samples of Eastern workmanship.
were Chinese and one Japanese. Of the former, one contained
the seller's mark in ink; another had two little wire handles,
which dropped down like those of a bucket. The Japanese
had the little spout at the side, and the handle open for the
insertion of a piece of wood or wire in the frail material.

The following paper was read :

PTOLEMY'S GEOGRAPHY OF THE COAST FROM CARNARVON TO CUMBERLAND (INCLUDING CHESHIRE AND LANCASHIRE) ELUCIDATED, AND HIS STATIONS DETERMINED,* by Thos Glazebrook Rylands, Esq., F.S.A., F.R.A.S., F.L.S., F.G.S.

January 10th, 1878.

The Rev. CANON HUME, D.C.L., Vice-President, in the Chair. The following objects were exhibited :—

By the Rev. Canon Hume.

1. Fac-simile of the first book printed by Caxton in 1477, re-printed in 1877, its title being-" Dictes and Sayings of "the Philosophers.'

2. A small Japanese gong.

3. A maté cup, or cup for the drinking of Paraguay tea, from South America. It is sucked through a bombilla, or tube with perforated head, almost like the imbibing of a " sherry cobbler."

By Charles Potter, Esq.

66

1. A portion of an old double-edged sword blade, and two sharpened stake-ends, found on the Cheshire shore at Great Meols, and supposed to be part of an ancient stockade.

2. Also, two steam-ship models, which had been fitted inside two
ordinary medicine bottles by the owner, Mr. T. R. Sutherst, of
this town. The hull, funnel, masts, spars, and rigging had
been fitted with exactitude to the interior dimensions of the
bottles, into which they were passed through the neck; the
masts, spars, and funnels being afterwards drawn into their
places by tightening the rigging with a piece of wire.

The following paper was read:-
:-

EXTRACTS FROM A HISTORY OF THE MERSEY, by Benj. Blower, Esq.

* Transactions, p. 81.

Since issued as a separate publication.

January 24th, 1878.

The Rev. CANON HUME, D.C.L., Vice-President, in the Chair.

The following objects were exhibited :

By Charles T. Gatty, Esq.

Two Roman leaden seals, bearing the name of the Emperor Constantine, found at Richborough in Kent. They were presented to Mr. Mayer, some years ago, by Mr. Rolfe, and have been recently given by Mr. Mayer to the town.

By the Rev. Canon Hume.

1. A box of wooden Chinese types.

2. Three Japanese mirrors of bronze, one with the handle preserved, in the others it has been broken off from the circular disc.

3. A curious gutta-percha impression of the seal of St. Stephen of Constance, shewing in the interior the stoning of Stephen.

By W. E. A. Axon, Esq.

One of the earliest books written against slavery, by a native of Liverpool living in America, a certain Ralph Sandiford. The book is entitled, "The mystery of Iniquity, in a brief exami"nation of the Practice of the Times." It went through two editions, both printed by Benjamin Franklin. The second

edition is dated 1730.

By Thomas Comber, Esq.

Ortus Sanitatis, the oldest printed Herbal known. It is slightly imperfect, but the date is ascertained to be 1485. It is written in Latin, with the Dutch names in manuscript on the margin, and contains several woodcuts illustrative of animals and plants, many of the former being mythological.

THE ETYMOLOGY OF PLANT NAMES. PART III.-TIMBER TREES,* by Thomas Comber, Esq.

February 7th, 1878.

F. J. BAILEY, Esq., L.R.C.P., in the Chair.

The following objects were exhibited :—

By Dr. Bailey.

A Warrington Pitt medal of 1814, and also two copies of very ancient and rare ballads.

* Transactions, p. 43.

By J. Harris Gibson, Esq.

1. Catalogue of the Liverpool Museum, 1808.

2. An award on parchment, dated 1559, between Anthony Richardson and Rauf Parkinson, of Fare Snape and Admarsh, in Bleasdale Forest.

By James Bromley, Esq.

1. Ancient double phial or Huacca, of old ironstone, of native manufacture, from Arequipa, Peru; one of the necks is a whistle.

2. A Japanese walking-stick, which, when blown through, shoots out into a three-length fishing-rod.

Mr. Richards having called the attention of the Society to the fact that a former President had lately passed to his rest, who had shown great interest in the Society for many years,

It was moved by Mr. RICHARDS, seconded by Mr. Dawson, and resolved unanimously,

That a letter of condolence be sent to the Honourable Lady Cust, on the death of General the Hon. Sir Edward Cust, Bart., K.C.H. He was the Society's President for eight years; he contributed to its volumes several interesting memoirs; and it is indebted to him for the beautiful mace which lies on its table at each meeting.

The following paper was read:

ON THE IRISH DIALECT OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE,* by the Rev. Canon Hume, D.C.L., V.P.

February 21st, 1878.

The Rev. R. R. MOORE, M.A., in the Chair.

The following objects were exhibited :

By James Dixon, Esq.

An old sleeve link, found in 1875, near the roots of a large thorn, opposite the principal door of Moss-Oak (Kil" Mossock") Hall. It is said to have belonged to Lord Charliemont, whose name it bears, and must have remained buried for more than two centuries.

By Captain Gardner.

A very curious and antique watch, of the Cromwellian period. It came into possession of the exhibitor's family with the tradition of having belonged to Cromwell himself. It is very large, and weighs 1lb. 15ozs. It is mounted in a beautiful silver case artistically ornamented with the floral devices of Scotland, France, and England. The last consists of the rose supported by mermaids.

* Transactions, p. 93.