302
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Mr. Harting said that he thought the plans put forward were very satis-
factory in the main, but the details would require some little further con-
sideration before they were finally settled. He thought that many groups of
birds and animals could be well represented, and he would be happy to give
the Curator some hints on this matter. He had been asked why they had
two museums so near each other, and he had pointed out that the Forest
Museum and the Stratford Museum were quite distinct in plan and the
objects they would contain. The one would supplement the other. It would
be a great pity if, having got the use that very appropriate building in which
they were assembled and the cordial co-operation of many persons, they did
not fit it up worthily and make it of interest to those who rambled about the
forest and were interested in its natural history.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. Walter Crouch, and carried unani-
mously.
Mr. Howard Wall proposed :—
" That a Public Subscription Fund be forthwith opened to raise the minimum
sum of £300 required at once by the Council and Committer of the Essex Field Club,
to carry out the scheme of re-organization and re-arrangement of the Museum."
This was seconded by Mr. Matthew Rose, and spoken to by Mr. Henry
Cook, J.P., and also carried unanimously.
The Rev. A. F. Russell (as Chairman of the Epping Forest Museum
Committee) proposed :—
" That the best thanks of this meeting be given to the Epping Forest Committee of
the Corporation of London for their public spirit shown in the restoration and main-
tenance of Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, and for the permission accorded to the
Essex Field Club to establish the Epping Forest Museum in the building."
This was seconded in warm terms by Mr. Hugh McLachlan, and also
carried unanimously.
Mr. E. N. Buxton, as Verderer, and Member of the Epping Forest Com-
mittee returned thanks for the vote. He said that the public were also much
indebted to the Essex Field Club, and its Secretary, for initiating the idea of
the Museum, and for pressing forward the scheme for restoring the Lodge.
He was of opinion that this work would not have been taken in hand without
such initiation and support. He was himself much interested in the idea of
the Museum, but he was also interested in the Lodge as an ancient building,
and consequently was most desirous that the fittings put into the Museum
should be such as not to mar the antique appearance of the rooms. He
thought that the plan set forth of a typical series of the animals, birds,
insects, trees, &c., of the forest was all that could be attempted. The com-
plete scientific series would be found in the other Museum at Stratford. He
was willing to agree to the modified plans on condition that no high cases be
put into the rooms, and that the flat wall-cases should fit into the spaces
between the main timbers round the room, as shown in some specimens now
in the Museum. He suggested that the Secretary should see Mr. McKenzie,
the Superintendent of the Forest, and go into the matter with him.