THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.—REPORTS OF MEETINGS. 163.
gave demonstrations of the methods employed in preparing the straw, and
exhibited the little bone cutters used in splitting the straws, and the wooden
"mills" for flattening the strips before plaiting. Mr. Gould said that he was
largely indebted to Mr. Miller Christy for statistical details of the rise and decay
of this interesting rural industry, and Mr. Christy also spoke, supplementing the
author's remarks with much local information.
A discussion took place, in which Prof. Meldola and Mr. Corcoran joined.
A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Gould for the paper, which will be
printed in the Essex Naturalist.
British Science Guild.—Prof. Meldola called attention to the meeting to be
held on Monday next at the Mansion House, under the chairmanship of the
Lord Mayor, for the establishment of what bids fair to be a very important body
—the British Science Guild—and commended this departure to the members and
to all interested in science and education in the county.
THE 242nd ORDINARY MEETING.
Saturday, November 25/th, 1905.
This meeting was held in the Technical Institute, Stratford, at half-past six,
Mr. Miller Christy, F.L.S., President, in the chair
New Member.—Mr. George Ellis, of 59, Woodlands Road, Ilford, was
elected a member.
British Science Guild.—The President alluded to the circular setting out
the aims of the British Science Guild, which has been sent out to all members.
The Guild had been successfully inaugurated at a meeting held in the Mansion
House on October 30th The President, in commending the Guild to the
support of all wishful for the progress and diffusion of science in Britain, said that
he was informed by Professor Meldola that the Essex Field Club was the first
local society which had taken an active interest in the Guild by circulating the
prospectuses in the way indicated.
Straw-Plaiting Mill.—A straw-plaiting mill from Essex was exhibited
which bad been presented to the Club by Mr. Bryan Corcoran. Subsequently to
the making of the mill it had been fitted with a hopper, so as to be used as a mill
for crushing hemp-seed for feeding birds.
Rare Essex Birds.—Mr. Miller Christy presented a specimen of the Little
Auk (Mergulus alle) shot at Lindsell Hall, near Dunmow, about 1871, and a
Golden Oriole (? female or young) shot at the same place on May 22nd, 1883..
Both these birds are recorded in Christy's Birds of Essex.
Mammals recently acquired for the Museum.—The Secretary exhibited
some remarkable animals recently purchased for the Mammalian collection.
These included a wild Albino Rabbit, cream-coloured and puce-coloured
varieties of the common Mole, the Pigmy Shrew (Sorex minutus), and a
specimen of the new British Vole, Microtus orcadensis, from the Orkney
Islands.
Original Drawings for Godman's Norman Architecture of Essex.—
Mr. Avery exhibited the original drawings made for this work which he had.