178
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Howard, Mr. J. M. Wood, Mr. R. Paulson, and Mr. Walter Crouch, and was
unanimously approved.
Nomination of Officers and Council.—In view of the Annual Meeting,
nomination of the Officers and new Members of the Council were made.
Proposal of an Honorary Member.—Mr. David Howard, on behalf of
the Council, proposed that Dr. Horace Brown, F.R.S., for many years an
ordinary member, should be elected an honorary member of the Club. This
election had been proposed by Prof. Meldola at the Council, and it had been
unanimously agreed to. It would be remembered that, many years back, Dr.
Brown had presented a valuable collection of fossils to the Club.
The President warmly seconded the proposal, and it was agreed to recom-
mend the election of Dr. Brown at the annual meeting.
Committee for Field Meetings.—It was announced that the Council had
appointed a Committee for the arrangement and conduct of the Field Meetings,
so as to relieve the Secretaries of the greater part of the work in connection with
these. Mr. Percy G. Thompson had been appointed Hon. Secretary of the
Committee. Further details would be announced later.
Bone Object from Braintree.—Mr. Francis W. Reader made some further
remarks on the curious bone object from Braintree, on which he had read a paper
at the meeting of the Club on 6th March 1909. Mr. Reader's additional
matter has been embodied in the paper as published in the Essex Naturalist
(ante, pp. 82-96).
Preservative Action of Formalin.—Mr. W. Cole exhibited a number of
fresh-water fishes, of somewhat large size, which had been put into a solution of
Formalin more than ten years ago, in a large wash-hand basin, covered only with
a board. A tea-spoonful of formalin had been added, two or three times, and
the water lost by evaporation had been replaced. The basin had been kept in a
pantry and almost forgotten for years. Notwithstanding this rough treatment,
the fish had been perfectly preserved, and not the slightest sign of decomposition
could be observed, nor had the dilute solution of the preservative apparently lost
its virtue during the long period. Mr. Cole exhibited the specimens solely to
demonstrate the great value of formalin in museum work.
Dr. Graham explained the methods of preserving brain preparations in
formalin, a weak solution being at first used, and afterwards stronger and
stronger solutions.
Mr. Dymond also made some remarks on the probable chemical action of
formalin as a preservative.
Photographs of Epping Forest Trees.—Mr. A. W. Dennis showed a
very fine series of lantern-slides of photographs of the principal species of trees in
Epping Forest. The pictures included examples of the same trees in their
winter and summer aspects, and in many cases also photographs of the flowers
and fruit. Mr. Dennis explained each picture, and gave particulars of the
occurrence of the trees in the Forest.
Remarks on the subject were made by Mr. J. C. Shenstone, F.L.S., Mr.
W. H. Dalton, F.G.S., Mr. C. Nicholson, and the President, and Mr. Dennis
was warmly thanked for his very charming exhibit.
Paper Read.—Mr. Robert Paulson, F.R.M.S., read a paper by himself
and Mr. Percy G. Thompson, entitled "A Report on the Lichens of Epping
Forest (First paper), together with some General Remarks on the Group "