THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
273
Yorkshire. To commemorate this fall an obelisk was put up on the spot, with
the following inscription :—
" Here, on this spot, December 13th, 1795, fell from the atmosphere an
extraordinary stone, in breadth 23 inches, in length 30 inches, and whose weight
was 56 pounds. This column in memory of it was erected by Edward Topham,
1799."1
Plusia Moneta in Essex.—Mr. W. Cole exhibited a series of this beautiful
moth from his garden at Buckhurst Hill. The moth first appeared in England in
1890, and it was one of the most remarkable instances of a species spreading
across Europe on a southern migration. In about 50 years it has spread from
Russia across Central Europe to Holland, and then to England. It bids fair to
become common in south eastern Britain.
Neolith from Pleshey.—Mr. Miller Christy exhibited, on behalf of
Alderman R. W. Christy, an exceptionally fine polished Neolithic Celt, found
by a shepherd boy at Pleshey. This implement will be described and figured in
the next part of the Essex Naturalist.
Fire-steel.—Mr. Mothersole sent up for exhibition a "steel" of the "flint
and steel" period, of unusual shape, and noteworthy in the peculiar way in
which it had been worn from use. Mr. Christy made some remarks on this
specimen.
Wooden "Smoother."—Mr. Mothersole also sent a curious wooden
object, concerning the nature and use of which some discussion arose. Mr.
Walter Crouch suggested that it was an implement formerly used in smoothing
down the flanges of lead in the old-fashioned leaden window-casements after
insertion of the quarries of glass. Mr. Hogg thought that it was either Scottish
or Scandinavian in origin, and that it was used by glovers and other leather-
workers for smoothing down the joints of the leathers after they had been sown
together He put the date at the end of the 17 th or beginning of the
18th century.
Human Skin on Church Door.—Mr. Guy Maynard exhibited a portion of
human skin taken from the door of Hadstock Church in 1791, and made some
remarks thereon.2
Object of Sandstone.—Mr. Guy Maynard also exhibited a curiously grooved
object of sandstone found with an urn, apparently of the Bronze Age, at Wendon,
Essex, the purpose and use of which was very obscure. Several suggestions
were made, but none seemed in any way satisfactory. The specimen is in the
Saffron Walden Museum.
Paper Read.—Mr. F. W. Rudler, F.G.S., read his report as delegate at
the meeting of the British, at York, (ante, p. 237-8).
A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Rudler for his services in representing
the Club at the Conference and for his report. The meeting then closed.
1 This meteorite is in the collection of the British Museum, No. 179 (Pane 4b. of Case)
—Ed.
2 A paper by the late Mr. G. N. Maynard giving some very curious details of this
gruesome subject will be found in the Essex Naturalist, Vol. III., pp. 292-95, under the
title of "Human Skin Nailed upon Church Doors at Hadstock, Copford, and elsewhere."
See also Essex Naturalist, Vol. II., p. 124.—Ed.
W