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THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
GARDEN PARTY AT "KNIGHTON."
Saturday, April 22nd, 1899.
THE Summer Session of the Club began with a very enjoyable Garden
Party, kindly given by Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Buxton at their beautiful
grounds, "Knighton," Buckhurst Hill. A large body of members was met
at the Station by the Secretary, and conducted through Lords' Bushes to the
private gate at the north side of the grounds. Many came from other parts,
and in all about 70 members and visitors accepted our kind hosts' invitation.
The members were met on the lawn by Mr. and Mrs. Buxton. One of the most
charming sights in the spring in the grounds is the fine collection of Daffodils,
for which "Knighton" is almost as celebrated as for the Rhododendrons
later in the year. The great merit of the garden is that it is truly a "garden
wild," intermixed with woodland, and a perfect paradise for birds. No
shooting or trapping is allowed, and the numerous "nesting-boxes" placed in
quiet corners testified to the care taken in protecting and encouraging the
dwellers in the woods and thickets.
The afternoon was spent in conversation, in the delights of croquet,
boating on the pretty lake, fringed with all kinds of aquatic plants, or in
examining Mr. Buxton's magnificent collection of the heads of large game,
and antlers of the Cervidae, with which the central hall of the mansion is
ornamented. They are all trophies of Mr. Buxton's skill as a hunter, during
his sporting tours in various parts of Europe. His two volumes, "Short
Stalks," and "More Short Stalks," give the history of many of these fine
specimens, which are not only of interest to the naturalist, but are in them-
selves admirable examples of the taxidermist's art.
Afternoon tea and other refreshments were served in the hall and dining
room.
During the afternoon an Ordinary Meeting of the Club (the 187th) was
held in the Drawing Room, Mr. D. Howard, President, in the chair.
On the motion of the President, a very hearty vote of thanks was passed
to Mr. and Mrs. Buxton for their hospitable kindness in arranging the
meeting.
The following were elected Members of the Club:—Mr. Harry Bird,
C.C., Miss Amy M. Horton, Mr. Russell Paterson, and Mr. G. T. Reid.
Dr. H. C. Sorby, F.R.S., exhibited a series of specimens showing the
advances he had recently made in the methods of preparing Marine Animals
for Museum exhibition. The Doctor made some remarks on these methods.
He had found that menthol was an excellent agent for "fixing" and killing
many organisms in life-like positions, and he had recently employed dense
glycerine as a permanent preservative. We hope to be enabled to publish
details in the Essex Naturalist at an early date.
To quote the words of the County Chronicle :—"Fortunately April was
kind, and, in spite of a somewhat threatening dulness during the early part of
the afternoon, the sun came out of his hiding-place about four o'clock, and
shone with a genial warmth until the party broke up, each member returning
home with a sense of gratitude to the host and hostess for having shown them
in so hospitable a manner one of the most charming spots in Essex."