THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
43
Paper Read.—Mr. T. V. Holmes, F.G.S., Vice-President, read a paper
entitled "Notes on a Recent Blue-Book, &c." (This paper has been published,
ante pp. 145).
Remarks on the paper were made by the Chairman and by J. M. Wood,
CE., who incidentally promised to prepare a paper for the Club on the under-
ground water-supply of Essex. Thanks were voted to Mr. Holmes for his
paper.
Botanical Surveying in Brittany.—Mr. T. G. Hill, B.Sc., A.R.C.Sc.,
&c., then delivered a Lecture giving some account of the Ecological work at the
Bouche d'Erquy in Brittany, which was interesting to Essex Naturalists owing to
the similarity of the salt-marshes there to those existing on our coast. The
following is a condensed account of the lecture, kindly furnished by Mr. Hill : —
A general account, necessarily brief, of the area under consideration was
given, its chief geographical features, more especially of the dunes and the
marsh. The principal characters of the latter are its flat and low-lying nature
and consequent rapid inundation by the higher tides. Attention was also drawn
to the water courses and the systems of pans and their origin.
The methods pursued in making the requisite maps were described, more
especially the method of squares and the "gridiron" as devised by Prof. F. W.
Oliver and Mr. Tansley. The more important facts relating to the distribution
of the principal dominant plants, viz., Glyceria, Salicornia, Suaeda, Obione, and.
Juncus were then dwelt upon ; also the associations between these and other
plants. Obione, for example, is commonly found along the banks of the chief
streams, Juncus on the higher land, Salicornia, associated with Suaeda and
Glyceria, upon the plains. The colouration of the vegetative organs was also
described, attention being confined chiefly to the two very distinct forms of
Salicornia, viz., apple-green and crimson, and the possible explanations of these,
which are, in all other characters morphologically identical. This consideration
naturally led to the discussion of the more obvious factors which play an impor-
tant part in the distribution of the different plant associations ; especially the
salinity of the soil, the amount of available water, and the importance of the
rainfall.
Finally remarks were made relating to the value of such oecological works in
connection with education, and also as regards its purely botanical aspect,
No detailed account of the results has been published, but short notices
relating to the work may be found in the New Phytologist, Vol. III., No. 8,
No. 9 and 10, Vol. IV., No. 8, Vol. V., No. 8.
The lecture was illustrated by a large number of lantern-slides.
Remarks on the paper were made by the Chairman, Mr. W. Cole, Mr.
Thompson, and others. Attention was called to the remarkable likeness of some
of Mr. Hills' photographs to parts of the Essex coast. Mr. Shenstone and Mr.
Cole both said that some of these photographs might safely be passed off as
scenes between Brightlingsea and Clacton. Allusion was made to the curious
holes or "pans" found in these salt-marshes. Whether these are natural or
artificial is a moot point.
A cordial vote of thanks was given to Mr. Hill, and the meeting ended.