THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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however, necessary. The facts had to be co-ordinated, and the lives of the
organisms considered with regard to their own environment, and as forming
parts of a complex whole. Thus the foundation of marine stations was one
factor that contributed to the institution of freshwater stations. Another was
the question of fisheries, for freshwater fish was much more largely used for food
on the Continent than in this country. Limnology, or the study of lakes, also
played an important part in the development of freshwater biological research ;
and a very good example of work of this kind was that done by Dr. Forel in his
investigation of the Lake of Geneva. The use of the net for obtaining water and
the contained organisms at various depths was then explained, as well as the
methods for calculating the numbers of any given species in a definite volume of
water. These had to be studied as forming quite a little world of their own, for
they were not in any way dependent on the shore. The supply of drinking water
was another factor which had to be taken into account. Bohemia led the way in
the matter of freshwater biological research with a portable wooden station,
constructed in 1888 under the direction of Dr. Anton Fritsch, and this inaugurated
on a small scale the systematic study of the fauna and flora of the European lakes,
which has since been carried ou more exhaustively elsewhere, and led to the
establishment of the fine station at Plon, which was opened by Dr. Zacharias in
1892. Here the work was entirely biological; but in some other stations in
Germany it was to a great extent economic, as was the case also in Russia, where
it had direct connection with the fisheries. France had establishments of this
kind, and good work had been done in Italy, which as yet had no station.
America was well off in establishments where freshwater biological work could be
carried on ; some were supported by the Government, and others were
connected with the various Universities. About 1896 the idea was discussed in
this country, and there was now a private station, belonging to Mr. Robert
Gurney, in the district of the Broads. The ideal of a freshwater biological
station was a place where systematic and connected work could be done, on lines
of its own, or supplementing that of the marine stations.
A discussion took place, carried on by the Chairman, Mr. Barnard, Mr.
Wilfred M. Webb, F.L.S., and the Author. A cordial vote of thanks was
accorded to Mr. Scourfield for his very interesting and suggestive paper.
Mr. Scourfield briefly replied, and the meeting ended. 
THE 234th ORDINARY MEETING.
Saturday, November 26th, 1904.
The second meeting of the winter session was held in the Technical Institute,
Stratford, at 6.30 p.m., the President, Mr. F. W. Rudler, F.G.S., in the chair.
Exhibits.—Mr. Cole exhibited some interesting specimens recently added to
the Museum. Among them was a fine specimen of the Cephalopod, Eledone
cirrosa, a dissection of Sepia officinalis, showing the internal organs, some
beautiful preparations of fishes, demonstrating the circulatory and nervous
systems, and a series showing transformations of the common frog, prepared from
specimens bred up in the Museum.
Azolla (!) in Hainhault Forest.—Also living specimens of an American
aquatic plant (Azolla pinnata) which had been found floating in great abundance
on the surface of a pond in Hainhault Forest. It must have been an "escape"
from some neighbouring hot-house, or possibly the plant had been purposely
placed in the pond. It had evidently found the water to its liking, as the