J. H. GENN, Asst. Sec.

A Meeting of the

special

for the transaction of current business, vint

1. To receive the report of a committer as to the

desirableness of a special meeting in connection with to Shakspeare vercentenars; and as to the materials available for it : _ and

use.

under similar circumstances, blackened the underlying soil in each case. Singularly enough, the soil improved the deeper dug into, and a fine black vegetable mould, of much greater depth than could reasonably have been anticipated in such close proximity as we were to the bare rock overhanging the beach, had evidently been taken advantage of for sepulchral purposes. A few small bits of charcoal proved the only traces of fire noticed. Not a single coin or other piece of metal was seen, despite the most careful manipulation of the out-turned soil; and the only relics of man's handiwork observed were a few pieces of earthenware,—fragments of a red jar and large water crocks of the fourteenth-sixteenth centuries, with a piece of flat slate-coloured ware of doubtful With the exception of an odd piece found by the writer upon a former visit, this medieval ware had been previously unnoticed upon the island. The other archæological products of the place are all of a much earlier character, being, with the exception of the Saxon cross and a few primeval flints, of Roman workmanship or imitation, pointing to the period when Hilbre was at times a place of call on passing up the Dee to the important colony of Deva. I believe these lastnamed objects were all found upon the shore here, which they must have reached from the island top through the abrasion of the cliffs by the sea. They comprise a large sized fibula in bronze, the upper portion of which still retains most of its original blue enamel; two double buckles of different sizes, also in bronze; a spindle whorl or perforated disk of light coloured terra-cotta; and, lastly, a fine bead of blue glass, ornamented by intertwining enamelled threads of yellow and green, which, having been thrown up from a deep burrow by a rabbit, strongly confirmed, in the writer's opinion, the probability of early interments hereabout-such beads having been found, in Kent and elsewhere, in connection with smaller ones, round the necks of skeletons of females.

These

large beads, mostly now believed to be of Roman manufacture, were highly and most deservedly valued by both Saxons and Danes, not only for their strength, but more especially for their rich and beautiful colours. As yet no one has delved . into the sandy ground in which the burrow is situate (some twenty yards from the tombstone), and the probability is that the ancient cemetery (of which the writer has now confirmed the existence) may extend in several directions from his little opening trench. One strong conviction, however, remains with him after two days' excavation, namely, that a thorough examination of the archæological remains beneath the Hilbre sod will necessitate the employment of a gang of men for weeks, if not a couple of months, and he much doubts whether anybody will undertake the trouble, even if leave could be obtained, to make such an investigation.

In conclusion, it may be mentioned that a proposition has been to some extent entertained by the Dock authorities for quarrying stone at Hilbre; but it is to be hoped so suicidal a project will not be realized, as the reduction of these islands would remove the only rocky bulwarks against the strength of the tidal current and high seas-the only natural breakwater off this angle of Cheshire.

PROCEEDINGS.

SEVENTEENTH

SESSION, 1864-65.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.

Free Public Library, 18th October, 1864.
PETER R. McQUIE ESQ., IN THE CHAIR.

The SECRETARY read the following

REPORT.

The labours of the Council in the year which has just closed have not been of a character to require a very detailed or special notice, the business having been carried on with accustomed success and no unusual event having occurred during the Session except the tercentenary celebration of the birth of Shakspeare.

The total number of members on the roll is 409; viz., 54 life, 182 resident, 148 non-resident, 2 lady-associate and 23 honorary members. Nineteen Papers were read at the nineteen meetings held in the Session: two were attended by a miscellaneous company, including ladies and gentlemen not members of the Society, and one of these, the Shakspeare meeting already referred to, was remarkably successful, both in respect to the great number of persons present at it and the rarity and value of the illustrative books and other objects exhibited. A full report of the meeting will appear in the Annual Volume, now nearly ready for publication; but the Council cannot omit this opportunity of offering its warm acknowledgments to the Exhibitors generally, and in particular to J. F. Marsh Esq., of Warrington, for affording to the members and their friends an opportunity of inspecting his very valuable collection of original editions of Shakspeare and other works of the Shakspeare period.

One most important duty which devolves upon the present Annual Meeting is the appointment of an Honorary Secretary in the room of the Rev. Dr. Hume, who, having been one of the chief originators of the Society in 1848, has held the office of its Honorary Secretary throughout the whole term of its existence. Previously to the last Annual Meeting, Dr. Hume tendered his resignation, but was on that