THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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there is to be considered, not only the possibility of the area being underlain by
Coal Measures (an idea first suggested by myself in 1877, and to which recent
discoveries give a considerable degree of support), but the probability of the land
being ultimately required for the purpose of some public building, if not that for
which it was primarily secured. The well sunk by the county authorities proved
waterless, because (as I told the engineers soon after they commenced operations)
the spot selected is on a line of ancient disturbance of the strata, which are faulted
and crushed, so that the same beds are penetrated twice over in the boring. This
movement has closed all the water-bearing fissures in the chalk in its immediate
vicinity, but has not injured the yielding powers of that rock at short distances
away from the line of fault. The direction of this line is precisely determined by
the boring at Messrs. Thorn and Swermore's brewery at Messing, confirming the
previous hypothesis of the line coinciding with the trend of the hill. At Messing,
the crushing has been less severe, and a sufficient supply was obtained.
Consequently, a well not far down the hill to the N.W. of the site would yield an
ample supply, and the only difference in cost of pumping would be the trifling
extra 'duty' arising from friction in an oblique instead of a vertical pipe. If,
therefore, it is decided to sell the land, it should be as a magnificent site for a
large building, with every natural advantage, water supply included."—[This
fault was described by Mr. Dalton in our "Transactions" for 1881 (vol. ii., pp. 15-
18), and is referred to by Mr. Holmes in the present number of the E.N. (ante, p.
199).—Ed.]
Ancient (? British) Pottery at Felstead.—A very ancient piece of pottery
has recently been dug from a gravel-pit at North End, near Felstead. It is shaped
by hand, and although fragmentary, its form and dimensions can be made out. It
is a round dish of about eight inches diameter and four inches in height. The
pottery is of coarse earth about three-fourths of an inch in thickness, and has
mixed with it an abundance of pounded flint, the particles being rather larger
than a pin's head. It has been very imperfectly baked, although it has certainly
been subjected to a considerable heat. It is now in possession of Mr. A. Skill, of
Felstead.—J. French.
Luminous Appearance of the Crouch River.—"All who live by, or have
sailed on, the sea, are familiar with the luminous appearance of its waves by
night. For some time past this natural phenomenon has been more than usually
noticeable in the Crouch. In some places the water shines as far as the eye can
reach, and at other times only when the waves break against the side of a vessel
or when the oar of a row-boat dashes into the water."—Essex County Chronicle,
August 14th, 1891.
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Ramble from Chelmsford to Maldon.
Saturday, June 27th, 1891.
THE idea of the projectors of this meeting was to explore the country lying
between Chelmsford and Maldon, which is of a very varying and picturesque
character, and presents great attractions to the botanist. The rendezvous was the
"Saracen's Head," Chelmsford, where, at a little after one o'clock, a very large com-
pany of members and friends (including students of the botanical class of the