Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 8, 1897.djvu/226

202 Mr. Higgens read a note from his brother, a resident in the neighbourhood of Painswick, in Gloucestershire, on the custom of baking a china dog in pies on the local feast-day referred to by Mrs. Gomme at the April meeting. The writer's opinion was that the custom was not more than fifty years old.

Mr. Gomme read a MS. sent to him by Mr. Thomas in the handwriting of the Rev. R. S. Hawker of Morwenstowe, and initialled "R. S. H.," giving particulars of a charm for the cure of snake bites, "from the recital of a very old man, formerly my parish clerk, now dead."

After some remarks from Dr. Gaster and Miss C. Dempster, Mr. W. Crooke read a paper, entitled "The Binding of a God: a Study of the Basis of Idolatry." In the discussion which followed, Miss Dempster, Miss Harrison, Mr. Gomme, Mr. Higgens, Mr. Wheeler, Dr. Gaster, and the President took part; and on the motion of the President a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Crooke for his paper.

Some Folklore Notes from the Isle of Lewis, by the Rev. M. McPhail, and a paper, entitled "Ghost Lights of the West Highlands," by Dr. R. C. Maclagan, were also read.