THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 41
Mr. W. Shurmur, J.P.. "Loughrigg," The Drive, Walthamstow
Mr. W. Favill Tuke, J.P., Walden Place, Saffron Walden
Miss Willmott, F.L.S., Warley Place, Great Warley, Brentwood
Mr. Ernest J. Wythes, J.P., Copped Hall Epping
The President made some remarks on the efforts being made to increase the
membership of the Club. A letter had been sent to each member asking him or
her to use efforts to obtain recruits. He hoped that the fruits of these special
appeals would be much in evidence during the year.
Books Presented to the Library.—The Hon. Librarian, Mr. T. W.
Reader, announced some contributions to the Library, including an almost
complete set of Transactions of the Geological Society from Mr. T. V. Holmes,
and the second volume of the Victoria History of Essex from Dr. H. C. Sorby.
The cordial thanks of the Club were voted to the donors.
Mr. Avery's Loan Collection of Engravings.—The Curator, Mr. W.
Cole, said that in the early days of the Essex Museum Mr. John Avery had most
kindly lent a very fine series of Essex engravings, etc., for exhibition in the
Museum. These views had been now returned to Mr Avery. The loan had
been of the greatest assistance in covering vacant space in the gallery, pending
the preparation of permanent collections, and the Curator thought that the best
thanks of the Club were due to Mr. Avery for his public spirit in rendering this
valuable service to the Museum.
The vote of thanks was proposed by the President and seconded by Mr.
E. T. Newton, F.R.S., and carried amid applause.
Bottles filled with Salt.—A pair of old-fashioned bottles filled with salt
and ornamented with pieces of chintz arranged round the inside, were exhibited
by Mr. W. Cole, who desired to obtain some information concerning them. They
were from a cottage in Mersea, and were evidently of considerable age. They
appear to have been put up over the chimney-piece as "charms" in the way
fossil sea-urchins often are. These latter are called in Norfolk "fairy-loaves,"
the belief being that the cottage containing them would never lack bread.
Some discussion took place on the origin and meaning of these objects. Mr.
H. Scherren said that he had seen similar bottles in the West of England, but
had always considered them to be purely decorative.
Photograph of Foraminifera.—Mr. J. C. Shenstone, F.L.S., had sent for
exhibition and presentation to the Museum a greatly enlarged photograph of
Foraminifera from the mud off Mersea, in the Colne Estuary. Some remarks on
the specimens shown in the picture were made by Mr. Shenstone in the Essex
Naturalist, Vol. III., pp. 162-3.
Thanks were voted to Mr. Shenstone for his interesting gift.
The Essex Herbarium of Mosses.—Mr. Cole exhibited this as arranged
by Mr. Chittenden. The Herbarium contained the greater part of the material
used by Mr. Chittenden in his paper on "'The Mosses of Essex," in the Essex
Naturalist, Vol. xiv., pp. 204—235.
Paper Read.—A paper by Dr. J. Murie, LL.D., F.L.S., etc., on "The Sea
Bream in Essex Waters," was read. It is published in the Essex Naturalist,
Vol. xiv., pp. 238-240.
The President alluded to the value of Dr. Murie's work in the examination of
the fauna of the estuary of the Thames at Leigh and Southend, as evidenced in
the first part of his book, A Report on the Sea Fisheries and Pishing Industries
of the Thames Estuary, Part 1., printed for the Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries