298 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Prof. Meldola said that the Club was greatly indebted to Mr. Howard for
his able assistance during so many years and for his regular attendance at
the Council meetings during the critical period of the Club's life. The sub-
ject of their President's remarks that evening was an excellent example of the
usefulness of studies often ignorantly termed "useless knowledge." What
promises to be a most important agency in the control of a scourge very
seriously affecting the nation's imperial interests is a direct outcome of the
"trivial" studies of entomologists and microscopists of the life-histories of
such despised little creatures as gnats and midges.
Prof. Meldola also expressed the gratitude of the Club to Mr. W. C.
Waller for his services as Treasurer and Librarian, and to the other officers
of the Club.
Special allusion was also made to the valuable work of the Auditors, Mr.
Walter Crouch and Mr. J. D. Cooper.
The President thanked Prof. Meldola and the members for their appre-
ciation of his services, and Mr. W. C. Waller returned thanks for the officers.
The company then adjourned to the Tea Room, and at seven o'clock the
198th Ordinary Meeting was held, the President in the chair, and after-
wards Prof. Meldola, V.P.
The following were elected members of the Club :—Mr. Archie E.
Barnard, Mr. Fred. J. Brand, and Mr. J. R. Roberts, J.P., E.C.C.
Prof. Meldola exhibited a specimen of Vanessa antiopa (the "Camberwell-
Beauty Butterfly") caught at Bigods near Dunmow, by Mr. G. Ruffel, one of
the boys at the Countess of Warwick's School. Mr. Ruffel stated that he
saw another specimen on the same day, but failed to catch it.
Mr. J. P. Johnson exhibited some fossil remains of Sharks, &c., from
British Cretaceous and Eocene strata, and also many of the specimens from
Walton-Naze referred to in his paper read later in the evening. Mr. John-
son stated that he would have pleasure in depositing the Walton specimens in
the Essex Museum of Natural History.
With reference to the first paper on the agenda, entitled "On the varia-
tion of the Marine Animals on the coast of Essex during the last ten or twelve
years," the Secretary stated that Dr. Sorby desired to hold the paper back
for a few months. Dr. Sorby had recently examined his specimens at
Sheffield, and found so much to add to the paper, that he thought it best to
thoroughly revise it, before reading it before the Club.
Mr. J. P. Johnson read a paper entitled "Notes on the Eocene Flora
and Fauna of Walton-Naze, Essex." This paper is printed in the present
part of the Essex Naturalist.