THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 261
Entomostracan from Epping Forest Exhibited.—Mr. D. J. Scourfield
F.R.M.S., exhibited under the microscope a living specimen of Diaptomus castor,
He remarked that it was not a very common species, but occurred in several
places in the Epping Forest District. It was the largest of the British species and
usually very beautifully coloured, the male being especially brilliant. Unlike
the very common D. gracilis, which occurs practically in all pieces of water,
except the smallest, D. castor only lived in very small pools, such as those found
on the Leytonstone Flats, for instance.
A Supposed Pile-Dwelling at Woodham Walter, Essex.—Mr.
Miller Christy, F.L.S., exhibited some flints cracked and calcined from fire,
and some sandstone pebbles, soft and friable, from similar exposure to intense
heat. These were from a deposit in a valley at Woodham Walter, and Mr.
Christy gave some details which in his opinion indicated the former existence of
an ancient pile-dwelling at this spot. The full account of Mr. Christy's
observations appears in the present part of the Essex Naturalist (pp. 280—2).
Mr. F. W. Reader and Mr. Kennard made some remarks on this subject.
"Pin-polishers."—Mr. Wilfred Mark Webb, F.L.S., exhibited two or three
bone implements, commonly known as "Pin-polishers," and made some remarks on
the same. Mr. Reader in his paper on "Pile Structures in the Walbrook"
(Archaeol. Jour. lx., pp. 137—204) gives figures and particulars of these
implements, which have been found in some numbers in London. General Pitt-
Rivers assigned them to the Roman level, but Mr. Reader has obtained
specimens from Finsbury Square, associated with Tudor objects. Mr. Reader
observes: "There seems no reason to doubt the use that has been assigned to
these objects, as the grooves would serve well to hold a wire, and they all bear
file-marks across the facets containing the grooves ; some are filed down right
into the internal hollow of the bone. At the present time the working jeweller
uses a slab of wood upon which he holds the pins while filing them to a point.
The edge of this slab is grooved in a similar manner to the squared portion of
these bone objects. In nearly all instances the projecting processes at the
natural end are knocked off, perhaps to allow of their being fixed in some manner."
Thanks were accorded for these exhibits.
Paper Read.—Mr. T. S. Dymond, F.C.S., read a short paper entitled "A
Disappearing Industry : Charcoal Burning in Essex." The paper was illustrated
by some lantern slides of photographs of Charcoal Burners at work.
A discussion took place on the paper, carried on by the President, Mr.
Barnard, Mr. Shenstone, Mr. Christy, and others, and a cordial vote of thanks
was accorded to the author. The paper will appear in the Essex Naturalist.
Lecture.—Mr. F. W. Reader then gave a lecture on "Recent Observa-
tions and Discoveries concerning London City Walls, the Walbrook and
Moorfields." The lecture was mainly a summary of Mr. Reader's two papers in
the Archaeological Journal, and one by Mr. A. S. Kennard, who was Mr.
Reader's coadjutor in these investigations.1
The Lecture was illustrated by about 50 lantern slides of old maps, engrav-
ings, objects of interest, and of the recent work carried on by Mr. Reader and
Mr. Kennard at the site of the Walbrook, etc.
1 "Pile Structures in the Walbrook near London Wall." and "Remarks on the
Primitive Site of London." By F. W. Reader. Archaeol. Journ., lx., No. 238, pp. 137—
204. "Observations on the Organic Remains and the Nature of the soil associated with the
Pile Structures." By A. S. Kennard, ib., No. 239, Appendix to paper.