THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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with the pretty green tree locust, Meconema varium, Fab., which is often seen on
"sugar" in Epping Forest) from the same locality. Mr. Cole said that he had
recently been collecting Orthoptera in Essex, and he thought that the number of
species occurring in the county would compare favourably with other parts of
England. He recommended the study of the group to the attention of those
in search of a subject for field work, less hackneyed than the butterflies or the
beetles.
Mr. T. V. Holmes exhibited and presented to the Club a copy of the new
Index Map (No. 12 of the Geological Survey) of the geology of the London
Basin, and made some remarks upon the Map, as did also the President and Prof.
Meldola (see Mr. Holmes' notes on this Map, ante, pp. 112-115).
Votes of thanks were passed to Mr. Graham for his donation of the Cores,
and to Mr. Holmes.
Mr. T. V. Holmes, F.G.S., read a paper entitled, "Notes on the Ancient
Physiography of South Essex," illustrating his remarks with specially coloured
I in. Ordnance Maps of the district (this paper is printed in the present volume,
the Map being reproduced by the Collotype process).
The President, Prof. Meldola, Mr. Elliot, and Mr. Crouch, spoke on the
subject, and Mr. Holmes was cordially thanked for his paper.
Mr. Robert Paulson then gave a Botanical Address, of which the following
is an abstract, his remarks being amply illustrated by diagrams and specimens :
Abstract of Mr. Paulson's Address on the Flowers and Fruit of
the umbelliferae.
Systematic botany is often regarded in the educational world as being far
inferior to that of the other branches of the science, viz., anatomy and physio-
logy. The latter are said to require the exercise of the higher qualities of the
mind for their pursuit.
Much may be said in favour of the above view, if the Systematist remains
as such, and develops into a mere collector of plants, knowing many of them, or
fancying he knows them, because some one has told him their names.
In the presence of members of a Field Club it is not necessary to urge the
importance of field work, or to attempt to prove that such work after business
hours adds considerably to the pleasures of life.
Those whose aim is to do or discover something that has not been done or
discovered before, who say that there is no scope in systematic Botany, no doubt
bring some discredit on the subject.
It may be true that there is little chance of discovering anything new, but
the amateur on taking up this, as well as other subjects, soon becomes aware
that he cannot begin exactly where others have left off, and that it takes
some time to acquire present-day knowledge, the acquisition of which may be
pleasurable or otherwise, according to the methods adopted.
The present methods of teaching Botany, and this, of course, is a response
to the requirements of examiners in high places, has caused much of the neglect
of the systematic branch. Students can often describe with the minutest detail
the development of the archegonia and antheridia of a fern, and yet they are
totally unable to recognise the most familiar of the British ferns in the field.
The Natural Order Umbelliferae has been chosen for this demonstration,
Q