THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
49
Mr. Cole thought that Mr. Wilson's specimen more probably had some con-
nection with the preparation of corn for food, and that it was really the crusher
of a quorn.1 He had obtained some years ago a pestle of apparently the same
kind of stone (? Hornblendic Granite or Hornblendic Gneiss), from a few feet
below surface at Loughton. This was described and figured by Mr. Worthington
Smith in The Essex Naturalist, vol. ii., p. 4.
Mr. T. V. Holmes, F.G.S., said that the stone looked like a round flint
pebble with those curious roughnesses over its surface so common in flints picked
up on the seashore. It was very likely, as Mr. Cole had suggested, intended for
use as a pestle for grinding. In the gravel-pit where it was found there were no
stones like it, and he had no doubt it came from the surface, where it had been
buried through the growth of soil by the agency of worms, etc. It seemed to be
a perfectly natural stone, and the presumption that it had been used for an
artificial purpose depended largely, he thought, on the fact that the gravel of the
pit contained no stones at all like it. Had a certain percentage of the stones in
the pit resembled it, even approximately, it might well have been originally not
on, but in, the gravel, and probably have never been used by man. Being, as it
was, utterly unlike any stone in the gravel, it was much more probable that it
was brought down from elsewhere for some special purpose by human agency.
This last supposition, too, leaves the date an open question ; while as the surface
of the pit was apparently 180 to 190 feet above O.D., a human relic, in the
gravel, would probably have a truly tremendous antiquity.
Mr. W. Cole exhibited some twigs of Black Currant invested with Scale-insects
(a species of Aspidiotus), which had occurred in great numbers on the bushes in a
garden in Buckhurst Hill.
He also exhibited some specimens of British butterflies and moths, illustrating
the phenomena of true Dimorphism, and Seasonal-Dimorphism.
Also some samples of naphthalene, compressed in the form of small cones,
with fine metal points inserted, so that the preservative could be easily stuck in
insect cases, etc.
Prof. Meldola had heard it stated that naphthalene was liable to cause
"grease" in specimens of lepidoptera. It was possible that this might be true,
and he should be glad to have the experience of collectors on the point.
Mr. F. H. Varley read a note, "Tenacity of Life in a Gold Fish," and ex-
hibited a coloured drawing he had made in illustration of his remarks. (Vide
his note on another page.)
Mr. Walter Crouch exhibited some Romano-British pottery which had been
found on the 27th January, in the gravel pit on St. Swithin's Farm, Barking Side,
about one foot under the surface soil. One is a portion (about one-half) of a
small round cinerary urn of red clay with rudely indented pattern. It measures
51/8 inches in height, the greatest diameter being 61/4 inches, the rim 53/8, and the base
3 inches. The other, a small black pipkin, nearly perfect, 3 inches high, 4 inches
in diameter, the base 23/4 inches. A few other fragments were also unearthed.
As already mentioned, when the Club visited the spot on July 1st last year (vide
Essex Naturalist, vit., pp. 104—7). nothing has been found there since March,
1892 ; and it is satisfactory again to come upon some relics of early occupation in
this high ground.
1 Curiously enough there is a specimen in the collection of stone implements in the Guildhall
Museum, labelled "Pounder for preparing grain, roots, etc. Found in Moorrields, 1805," and
there is also another specimen from Suffolk.—Ed.
E