Warren Vernon; and The Transactions of the North Staffordshire Field Club for 1891, presented by Dr. A. M. McAldowie.
TUESDAY, MAY 19th, 1896.
The President (Mr. Edward Clodd) in the Chair.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
The death of Mr. G. M. Traherne, and the resignations of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Dr. Freshfield, and the Rev. C. Swynnerton were announced.
A note on "A survival of Odin worship in Kent" (see p. 298) was read by Mr. Higgens.
Mr. F. W. Bourdillon read a paper entitled "The Genesis of a Romance-Hero as illustrated by the evolution of Taillefer de Léon." In the discussion which followed, the President, Dr. Gaster, and Mr. Nutt took part, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Bourdillon for his paper.
The President read a paper by Miss M. Peacock on "The Hood Game as played at Haxey, in Lincolnshire," and exhibited photographs showing how the game was played. A discussion followed, in which Messrs. Gomme, Nutt, and Higgens and Dr. Gaster took part.
The following papers were also read: "The Hare," by the Rev. W. Gregor; "Devil Dances in Ceylon" (see p. 307), by J. B. Andrews; "Buried Gold," by R. Greeven; "Executed Criminals and Folk-medicine," by Miss M. Peacock; "Lewis Folklore," by Rev. M. McPhail; and a note on "Charming for the King's Evil" (see p. 295), by Miss Fulcher.
The Secretary, on behalf of Mr. Hartland, exhibited a besom of the old-fashioned kind used in Irish houses and mentioned in Irish folklore, which had been kindly procured by Mr. John Cooke, and presented through Mr. Hartland to the Society.
