THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 195
than the Secretary, who when down at Fowlness, arranging details of the
meeting about a fortnight previously with Mr. H. A. Cole, was benighted and
had to remain 'till next day!
THE ANNUAL CRYPTOGAMIC MEETING.
Friday and Saturday, October 27TH and 28th, 1899.
Conductors:—Dr. M. C. Cooke, M.A., LL.D., A.L.S., &c. ; George Massee,
Esq., F.L.S. (Kew Museum); and Prof. G. S. Boulger, F.L.S., F.G.S.
The Meeting on the Friday was fixed in the hope that the extra day
would allow of specimens being collected for the exhibition on Saturday. But
the weather was very bad ; only a small party (but including two ladies !)
assembled at Loughton at n o'clock, and after consultation, decided to brave
the wet and carry out the programme. A ramble was taken through Monk
Wood and so to the meeting rooms at Theydon, where a very welcome tea
awaited the little party. In spite of the rain, the baskets were filled, fungi
proving much more plentiful than had been anticipated. Many handsome
species were collected, and carried to the meeting-rooms.
Newcomers to our woods marvelled at the brilliant vistas presented by the
beechen groves in the last stages of their autumn dress ; the rain had varnished
the leaves with moisture, and thus revealed their colours with astonishing
effect. One of our lady members (Miss Read), a stranger to the forest,
who wrote a poetical account of the ramble, thus recorded her impressions
of the scene :—
"The walls of mist had sunk away
To distant haze of purple-grey :
The mossy floor of emerald stain
Was silvered o'er with pearls of rain ;
This was the heart-core of the wood
 Where smooth-stemmed beeches circling stood,
In autumn's loveliest attire.
A garment woven all of fire.
The rain had washed the dropt leaves clean
Where spread they hid the mossy green ;
Above a canopy of flame.
Below, a carpet of the same.
"And lurking 'neath the fallen trunk
In cleft of bough, in tree-root sunk,
Great groups ot fungi one could trace ;
While wanton in the open space,
The blood-red Fly-Agarics stood,
The painted beauties of the wood!."
The meeting-place on the Saturday was Messrs. Riggs and Sons' rooms at
Theydon Bois, where tables were laid out for the reception of specimens and
botanical books of reference provided. The weather was a great improve-
ment on the previous day. The sun shone brightly at intervals and there
was no rain. The members came down by various trains and the morning
and early afternoon were occupied in collecting excursions into the Theydon
Woods, Epping Thicks, &c. Fungi were far more abundant than they have
been for many years past. Among the birches were large and handsome
Boleti and many splendid congregations of the scarlet Fly-Agaric (Agaricus
muscarius) were again observed with admiration. The tables in the meeting-
room were quickly loaded with a fine show ot specimens, which were examined
and identified by Dr. Cooke and Mr. Massee. The general character of the
gatherings is indicated by Mr. Massee in his report in the present part of the
Essex Naturalist (ante p. 166).
The usual Club tea was served early in the evening, and afterwards an
Ordinary Meeting (the 190th) was held, Mr. D Howard, President, in the
chair.