272
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
posted to prominent inhabitants of Essex, asking them to join the Club as an
encouragement of the work proposed to be carried on. The President had some
hope that this action would result in an important addition to the list of
members.
Pelvis of Mammoth.—Mr. W. Cole exhibited a portion of the pelvis of a
species of Elephas, probably E. primigenius, which had been dug up in the
"Kennedy Estate" on the outskirts of Barking (details of this specimen will
be given in a "Museum Note" in the Essex Naturalist).
Considerable discussion took place ou this exhibit. Mr. Walter Crouch,
F.L.S., who had visited the spot where the bone was found, gave some
topographical details. Mr. E. T. Newton, F.R.S., said that it was impossible
practically to decide whether the pelvis had belonged to the true mammoth or to
the Southern straight-tusked elephant (Elephas antiquus). The probabilities
were in favour of the bone being from a mammoth. Mr.. Newton congratulated
Mr. Whitehead, the assistant in the Museum, on the way in which the bone had
been put together and imbedded in a slab for preservation.
Serotine Bat in Essex.—The Rev. A. B. Hutton exhibited a specimen
of Vesperugo serotinus, from Pitsea, Essex. He had previously secured another.
Mr. Miller Christy had previously recorded two specimens from Essex1 (one of
which was in the Club's collection), so that in all tour Essex Serotines were
known.
Rose-coloured Pastor in Essex.—Mr. Hutton also exhibited a specimen
of the very rare bird, Pastor roseus, taken at Pitsea this autumn. Very few
specimens were known from the county, not more than three or four at the most
(see Christy's Birds of Essex, page 130).
[The bird was first noticed as a British "visitor" by George Edwards (the
Stratford Naturalist whose portrait is in E.N., vol. xiii., plate 13) who, in 1742
figured a specimen killed at Norwood, and which was then preserved in a coffee-
house at Chelsea.—ED).]
Mr. Hutton also exhibited a female Hobby, but this was from the Kentish
shore of the Thames.
Mr. Christy made some remarks upon these very interesting specimens.
Worked Flints from Thundersley.—Mr. F. T. Mapey exhibited some
worked flint "flakes" found in his garden near Thundersley Lodge, Essex.
Mr. Francis W. Reader remarked that these specimens indicated the existence of
flint-working in Neolithic times on the spot, and he recommended Mr. Mapey to
keep a look-out for other specimens.
Reputed Meteorite.—Mr. Miller Christy exhibited the reputed meteorite
reported in the newspapers as having fallen at Braintree on October 9th. On
examination by Dr. Fletcher, of the British Museum, the supposed meteorite was
found to be a mass of smelted iron, so that the mystery of the reported "fall"
remained unexplained.
In connection with this subject Mr. F. W.Rudler, F.G.S., gave some very
interesting details of the fall of the largest meteorite in this country, which
happened near Wold Cottage, Thwing, a few miles from Scarborough,
1 Proc. : Essex Field Club, vol. iv., p. iv., and Laver, The Mammals, &c., of Essex,
page 33.