Does this searve a purpose?

[rsexson@excite.com]

I was removing the sealing putty from the area betwen the trunk floor and
the fender. When i removed the putty i found that it had, what looked like,
small ball bearings mixed in with the putty. Is this something that the car
came with or had someone added this? I wonder what the reason for it was.

R.B. Sexson