THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 203
attendances at the meetings, to persevere in a course which in some eases might
involve considerable trouble and expense.
Trot. Meldola and the President spoke of the interest and practical value of
such demonstrations as that given by Mr. Paulson, and a cordial vote of thanks
was passed to him.
The meeting closed with the usual service of tea and coffee.
It was announced that at the first meeting of the season, Mr. E. M. Holmes,
F.L.S., would conduct, and give a practical demonstration on the MOSSES of
Epping Forest.
First Field Demonstration Meeting and i6ist Ordinary Meeting
for Nomination of New Members of Council and Officers
for 1896-97.
Saturday, March 14th, 1896.
Conductors—E. M. Holmes, Esq., F.L.S. (Curator of the Museum of the
Pharmaceutical Society), and E. D. Marquand, Esq.
This was the first meeting under the arrangement proposed by the Council for
the encouragement of the practical study of Botany and other branches of natural
science in the field. Mr. E. M. Holmes very kindly undertook the conductorship
of the inaugural meeting, choosing the Mosses and Scale-Mosses (Muscineae) as
the objects to be searched for, these plants being in the best condition about this
time of the year. Mr. E. D. Marquand, a naturalist well known for his researches
into the fauna and flora of Jersey and the Isle of Wight (and compiler of the
List of the Cryptogamic Flora of Kelvedon, from materials left by the late Mr.
E. G. Varenne in ESSEX NATURALIST, vol. v. pp. 1-30), gave us the benefit
of his presence and assistance.
Monks Woods and the lower ground at Debden Slade, Epping Forest, were
the localities chosen for the day's huntings. The Conductors and the Secretaries
were early on the ground, the other parties coming down by later trains to
Loughton, and so over Staples Hill and Cowper's Camp into Monks Woods. A
large number of species of Mosses were collected, and the Conductors were busy
the whole afternoon in demonstrating the various points of interest and distinction
of the several species and genera.
Mr. Holmes was happy in re-discovering the rare moss, Zygodon forsteri in the
habitat originally noted by him in September, 1882 (see short paper by Mr. E.
M. Holmes on "Zygodon forsteri, Mitten, in Essex," in "Proceedings Essex
Field Club," vol. iii., pp. lxii., lxiii.). The plant was first discovered by Mr. T. F.
Forster on a felled tree in a timber yard at Walthamstow, probably brought from
Epping Forest. It remained almost unique until a station was found at Minehead
in Somerset, by Miss Gifford, and later the Epping Forest locality was recorded
by Mr. Holmes as above. It is very remarkable that such a rare plant should
have been preserved so many years in what was probably the station whence
came the original specimen found by Forster.
The afternoon was showery, but collecting was persevered in until a little after
five, when an adjournment was made to the "Wake Arms" for tea.
After tea, the 161st Ordinary Meeting was held, the President in the chair.
It was announced, on the circular calling the meeting, that the Annual