63
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Ordinary Meeting, Saturday, February 26th, 1887.
[Commencing with the present meeting, reports of the meetings of the Club will
be printed from month to month in the Essex Naturalist, and, when practicable,
in the number belonging to the month immediately following that in which the
meetings were held—e.g., March meetings will be reported in the April number,
and so on. Papers and longer notes will not usually be printed in this place, but
will in most cases be given under separate headings in the Essex Naturalist, and,
as soon as arrears in hand are somewhat cleared off, the Editor will make strenuous
endeavours to print papers, etc., within a few months of the date of their delivery.
Reports of the meetings still unpublished, including the Annual Reports of the
Council for 1885 and 1886, will be printed in part 2 of vol. iv. of the "Pro-
ceedings," which is now being prepared for the press, and which will complete
the old series of the "Proceedings."—Ed.]
The Seventy-fifth Ordinary Meeting was held at the Public Hall, Loughton, at
7 o'clock ; Mr. T. V. Holmes, President, in the chair.
In addition to the usual contributions to theLibrary,two large lithographed portraits
of the late Mr. Edward Doubleday were presented by Mr. H. B. Woodward.
Mr. H. C. Snell was elected a member of the Club.
Mr. Holmes returned thanks for his election as President, and nominated the
following as Vice-Presidents of the Club during his year of office :—Mr. E. N.
Buxton, J.P., etc. ; Mr. E. A. Fitch, F.L.S. ; Mr. H. Laver, M.R.C.S., F.L.S. ;
and the Right Hon. Lord Rayleigh, F.R.S.
The Secretary announced that he had been requested to draw up a list of the pre-
historic remains in Essex for the Pre-historic Remains Committee of the British
Association. This list would be preliminary to the more detailed catalogue which
it was the intention of the Club to prepare. The Secretary asked for the active
aid of members in the compilation of the list. Help was more especially desired
from those able and willing to make personal visits of inspection to the less known
or reputed earthworks, and report upon their present condition. Also extracts
from books or periodicals giving details of, or references to, any pre-historic
remains in Essex, and records of the discovery of flint or bronze implements,
pottery, etc., in any part of the county. The Secretary stated that it was only by
such help that he would be able to draw up a fairly accurate and complete list in
the short time allowed for its preparation.
A living specimen of the Dormouse (Myoxus avellanarius), found in its snug
winter nest of grass at Buckhurst Hill that afternoon, was exhibited by Mr. H. A.
Cole. The animal appears to be not at all uncommon in the forest.
A short note on some flint implements found near Felstead was communicated
by Rev. A. W. Rowe, M.A., F.G.S. (See page 62.)
Mr. J. E. Harting, F.L.S., read a paper on "Wild-fowl Decoys in Essex,"
illustrated with coloured diagrams drawn by himself. Several questions were
asked at the conclusion of the paper by the President, Mr. White, Mr. Gould,
Mr. Bros, and others, and were fully answered by Mr. Harting. The paper itself,
with any information thus elicited, will be printed in an early number of the
Essex Naturalist.1
A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the author, and the meeting ended ; tea
and coffee being served as usual to the members and visitors.
1 We think our readers will agree with us that it would be useless giving any discussion on a
paper until it is printed. We therefore propose in future to give any useful remarks made at the
reading of a paper immediately following the paper itself.—Ed.