ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 23
Braintree and Mrs. Kenworthy welcomed the members to tea, after the very
pleasant and instructive meeting at Braintree. On October 3th a Joint
Meeting with the Essex Archaeological Society was held at the Deneholes in
Hangman's Wood ; the Council hope that other meetings in conjunction with
the County Archaeological Society may be held in the future. Valuable aid,
which the Council most gratefully acknowledges, was rendered at the various
meetings by the gentlemen named :—Mr. F. W. Elliott, Mr. D. J. Scourfield,
Dr. Sorby, Col. Bryan, Mr. T. V. Holmes, Mr. Ashley, Mr. J. C. Shenstone,
Mr. C. E. Benham, Prof. Boulger, Mr. Turner, Rev. Augustus Shears, Rev.
J. W. Kenworthy, Mr. E. T. Newton, F.R.S., Mr. W. H. Dalton, F.G.S.,
Mr. F. C. Parmenter, Mr. G. F. Beaumont, F.S.A., Mr. Miller Christy, F.L.S.,
Mr. H. A. Cole, Mr. E. Lovett, and others. Special attention may be called
to the meeting at Witham on July 23rd to promote an Annual Congress of the
Natural History Societies of East Anglia. The Council hope that all
members will do their best to make this Annual Congress a useful and
interesting gathering. Full details of the scheme were given in the report of
the meeting in the Essex Naturalist (vol. x. pp. 360-368). A Committee to
promote the Congress for 1899 has been formed, consisting of Mr. T. Southwell,
F.L.S., and Mr. Nicholson (Hon. Sec.), for the Norfolk and Norwich Society ;
Mr. E. P. Ridley (Mayor of Ipswich), President, and Mr. G. H. Hewetson,
Hon. Secretary, for the Ipswich Society, and Mr. J. C. Shenstone, and
the Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. Cole, for the Essex Field Club.
The Council wish to acknowledge the kindness of the Technical
Instruction Committee of West Ham and of Mr. Briscoe, the Principal of the
Institute, for the arrangements they have made for the holding of Winter
Meetings of the Club in the Institute, This concession will be of great service,
and will be of even greater benefit in the future when the Museum and Library
rooms come into our possession.
The Essex Naturalist.—Four quarterly parts of the Journal have
been issued within the year, containing papers of very considerable local and
scientific interest. It is a matter for congratulation that local papers relating
to the investigations of the Club's members are still forthcoming. In the
"Index" of the British Association, the Club is credited with 25 papers of
this kind published during the 12 months ended the 1st of June, 1898. It is
still a matter for regret that the "Notes" columns are not more occupied by-
observations of members and friends of the Club. The Editor is of opinion
that this section might be made one of the most valuable features in our
publication, and the attention of all lovers of natural history in the county is
again strongly directed to this point.
The Library, &c.—The Council are very glad to announce that Mr.
Lockyer has kindly undertaken to resume the post of one of the Librarians
which he occupied in the first years of the Club. The whole of the books
have been removed to the premises in Woodgrange Road, and the stock of
publications from Knighton Villas, Buckhurst Hill. The Council beg to
thank Mr. H. A. Cole and Miss J. Cole for the accommodation of two rooms
afforded for so many years to store these books and other goods. It is hoped
that the books, &c. will now be got into order, so that when the new library
room is ready they may at once be rendered again available by the members.