26
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Annual Report of the Council for the Year Ended
December 31st, 1893.
[Read and adopted at the Annual Meeting held at Buckhurst Hill, March 31st, 1894.]
Although the past year has been an unusually active one both on the part of
the Club and its officers, and no fewer than fifteen meetings were held, the various
works in progress are not yet sufficiently advanced to admit of a complete report,
and full details of the roll of membership, the state of the Museum and Library,
must be reserved for special reports, which will be placed before the members as
soon as possible. On the present occasion the Council proposes giving a sketch
only of the several schemes in progress, for the information of the members.
Members.—The roll of members cannot be yet made up, owing partly to the
fact that a considerable number of the members of the old Chelmsford Museum
Society, admitted as members under the resolutions for amalgamation, not having
yet complied with the terms of that resolution relating to the payment of sub-
scriptions, and partly also to a number of members being two years and upwards
in arrear. Under the Rules the Council has power to deal with such cases ; the
matter is now under consideration, and a report from the Treasurer will be laid
before the Club in due course.
It is estimated that the effective strength of the Club is about 400, and the
Council need not point out that this number is inadequate to provide a sufficient
annual income. It is the duty of every member wishing well to the Club to do
all in his or her power to increase the roll. The position of the Club, and the
important works it is carrying on, justify the expectation that a permanent roll
of 600 members should be the minimum, and the Council is confident that a
little missionary effort on the part of each member would soon realise this expec-
tation. A Sub-Committee is about to be formed to assist in this work.
Financial.—The financial position of the Club may, upon the whole, be
regarded as fairly satisfactory. The General Account still shows a deficiency of
income as compared with expenditure, but the adverse balance is being steadily
reduced, a diminution of £20 having been effected during the year. The Life
Composition Account remains unchanged. The final payment for printing
part 2, vol. iv., of the old "Proceedings" leaves the Publishing Account with a
balance on the wrong side of some £40. It is much to be regretted that so few
copies were applied for. Had the Council anticipated so poor a response, the
work would probably have been abandoned, or compressed within much narrower
limits. A list of donations paid to the Museum Fund (Chelmsford) up to the
present date (March 31st, 1894) is given below.
Publications.—The Essex Naturalist for the year comprises 200 pages,
and the volume is, it is submitted, fully up to the preceding ones in its valuable
characteristic—namely, the local bearing of the papers and reports published.
Several important papers are already promised for volume viii., but the
Editor again solicits help from the main body of the members and their scientific
friends. He receives a good deal of friendly criticism, which is healthy and is
appreciated, but in many cases a little aid in his difficult task would be more
encouraging.
Dr. Laver's work on the "Mammals, Reptiles, and Fishes of Essex" not
being ready for the press, has been delayed in publication; but the prospectus