154 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Prof. Marshall Ward, F.R.S., then gave an address on the Scientific
Study of Fungi. The Professor urged the importance of studying the "life-
histories" of these plants, and said that he would be pleased to see any
member desiring to take up the study at Cambridge, and to show the
methods of investigation there adopted.
The Curator had prepared a report on the Varenne Cryptogamic
Herbarium, which was taken as read, and which will be found in the
"Museum Notes" in the present part.
Cordial votes of thanks were passed to Prof. Ward, to Dr. Cooke, and to
Mr. Massee, and also to the other botanists who had assisted in various ways
in aid of the meeting.
The meeting was a very large one; about 100 members and friends
attending it.
THE 206TH ORDINARY MEETING.
Saturday, October 26th, 1901.
The first meeting of the Winter Session, being the 206th Ordinary
Meeting, was held in the Physical Lecture Theatre of the Municipal
Technical Institute, West Ham, at 6.30 p.m., the President, Prof. R. Meldola,
F.R.S., in the chair.
Mr. Edmond J. Boake, B.A., and Mrs. W. D. Cansdale, were elected
members.
Mr. Cole exhibited some sets of specimens which he had arranged for the
Museum in illustration of the subject of "Protective Resemblance" amongst
insects.
He also exhibited specimens of Sphinx convolvuli, which had been taken at
the electric lamps in the Romford Road, near the Museum. Several others
had been brought into the Museum in a mutilated condition, and he had
heard of the capture of many specimens in Essex. Indeed the insect had
occurred in numbers in many parts of England, and 1901 would merit
remembrance by entomologists as one of the great "convolvuli years"
Mr. A. Harrison sent for exhibition six fine specimens of Sphinx convolvuli
taken on September 24th and 25th, also in the Romford Road, Stratford.
Mr. Cole also exhibited a specimen of Limenitis sibylla, the "White
Admiral Butterfly," which had been caught in August in Mr. Cole's garden at
East Mersea, by Master Harold Elliott, who reported that he had seen
another also. Mr. Cole said that the butterfly still occurred in the woods
near Colchester, and there was a series in Dr. Laver's collection, but as far as
he knew Master Elliott's specimen was the first recorded for Mersea.
Master Elliott had kindly presented the butterfly to the cabinet of the Club.
Mr. John Spiller exhibited a fine crystal of Selenite from Aylesbury.
Mr. Cole said that small crystals of Selenite were to be seen very abun-
dantly in the London Clay exposed during the excavations now being carried
on in constructing the new railroad across the Roding Valley from Woodford
to Chigwell, but he had not seen any equal in size to Mr. Spiller's specimen.