"TRULY DELELICT."
397
having been between 344 and 345 in 1888, and between 324 and 325 in 1897,
but this is accounted for by the collapse of two federations -the Midland
Union and the Cumberland and Westmoreland Association—and the with-
drawal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society between the two periods.
For in 1888 these three associations numbered among them 4,006 members,
as many as would be found in eleven or twelve average societies."
The Committee are also pleased to know that as the great
majority of the Societies, the main purpose of whose existence is
local scientific investigation, are now on the list of Corresponding
Societies, their catalogue of papers approximates to completeness
more and more each year as a record of local work. With
regard to a few societies of more or less importance not on the
list, the Committee remark that though "local" in the sense of
having their headquarters out of London, they do not for the
most part make local work their main object, and add : —
" Fortunately, in most cases, information as to the titles and authors of
papers read before local societies, not Corresponding Societies of the British
Association, may be obtained from the Official Year Book of the Scientific and
Learned Societies of Great Britain and Ireland, C. Griffin & Co.. London. The
Year Book appears every spring, and contains lists of papers read in the pre-
vious year. It will be found that the Year Book and the British Association
Index combined leave little to be desired by the inquirer after papers on any
locality in the British Isles."
In the " Index of the more important papers, and especiall}'
those referring to Local Scientific Investigations, published by
named societies during the year ending June 1st, 1898," appended
to the report, the Essex Field Club is credited with 25 papers,
including the Mammals, Reptiles and Fishes of Essex, published
during the said twelve months.
T. V. Holmes, Sec. Cor. Soc. Committee,
Delegate, Essex Field Club.
"TRULY DERELICT. A CURIOUS CORNER
OF ESSEX."
THE Daily News of July 27th contained a special article
under the above title which gave a vivid picture of the
destruction wrought by the great tide of November 29th, 1897.
The story begins : —
" A few years ago it was the custom to talk and write about 'Derelict
Essex.' Though at that time there were farms actually deserted, the descrip-
tion was rather pictorial than literal, and was meant to convey the idea that,
of all the agricultural depression that was to be deplored in England, that of
Essex was the most hopeless. It is not, however, generally known that there