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THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Ordinary Meeting, Saturday, November 26th, 1887.
The Eighty-third Ordinary Meeting was held at the Public Hall, Loughton,
at seven o'clock, Mr. T. V. Holmes, President, in the chair.
Donations of books and periodicals were announced, and among them the
Secretary called special attention to a very valuable work on the legal history of
the "Forest of Essex," presented by the author, Mr. W. R. Fisher; and also to
a small book entitled, "The Stratford Flora," presented by Mr. Shenstone, which
appeared to have escaped the notice of Essex bibliographers.
The following were elected members of the Club :—Mr.W, H. Dalton, F.G.S.,
and Mr. W. Greatheed. [By accident, the election of Mr. A. Cunnington and
Mr. Clement Hutt was not recorded in the Minutes of the meeting on November
12th; this note is consequently inserted to rectify the error.]
Prof. Meldola read a letter received by him from Mr. A. C. G. Cameron, of
the Geological Survey, dated Bedford, November 25th, giving some particulars of
a supposed earthquake shock which had been heard or felt in various parts of
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Essex, on the morning of November 20th.
[A very considerable amount of information has since been collected with res-
pect to this phenomenon, and Mr. G. J. Symons, F.R.S., has suggested that it
was not an earthquake, but that the noise heard was occasioned by the explosion
of a large "bolide" or meteorite. By the kindness of Mr. Symons, Mr. Fordham,
Mr. Cameron, Mr. Worthington Smith, and others, we shall be enabled to print
full particulars of the occurrence in an early number of the Essex Naturalist.]
A paper, entitled ''Preliminary List of the Land and Fresh-water Mollusca
occurring in the neighbourhood of Felstead, Essex,'' by Mr. J. French, was read.
Mr. French enumerated fifty-seven species as occurring in his district, the slugs
not being included in the list.
Mr. Walter Crouch made a few remarks upon the paper, and thought that the
list was by no means a small one from such a locality, allowing for the limitations
made by the recorder.
Prof. G. S. Boulger, F.L.S., F.G.S., then read Part II. of his "History of
Botany in Essex." The first part, giving the narrative up to and including Ray,
was read at a former meeting of the Club. The present instalment included
Samuel Dale, of Braintree, friend and executor of Ray (1659-1739), his "Phar-
macologia" (1693), his "History of Harwich and Dovercourt" (1730), and his
herbarium—Richard Warner, of Woodford (1711-1775), his "Plantae; Wood-
fordienses" (1771)—Dr. John Fothergill, of Upton (1712-1780)—The Forster
family, of Walthamstow. Edward Forster, senior (1729-1812)—Thomas Furley
Forster (1761-1825)—Benjamin Meggot Forster (1762-1829)—Edward Forster,
junior (1765-1849), and Thomas Ignatius Maria Forster (1789-1860). Prof.
Boulger gave a most interesting series of biographies of these worthies, with
details of their botanical labours. [We hope to be enabled to print the whole
(with the exception of the memoirs of Ray and Gibson, which have already been
published by the Club) in the Essex Naturalist during the ensuing year.]
The President said that Prof. Boulger had treated his subject in a most thorough
and pleasant manner, and he thought that the gratitude of the members was due
to him for his labours in elucidating the life and works of the Essex botanists.
Prof. Meldola very heartily seconded the vote of thanks, and in doing so quoted