THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB 181
works for beginners in the study :—
J. E. Bagnall—British Mosses (Young Collectors' Series). 1s.
H. N. Dixon—Students' Handbook of Mosses. 14s,
Dr. Braithwaite—British Moss Flora. Remainder copies about £2 8s.
Canon Lett—British Hepatics. 7s. 6d., from Canon Lett, Aghaderg,
Co. Down.
At the suggestion of the Chairman a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr.
Chittenden, and also to Mr. E. M. Holmes, for their valuable services.
Mr. Paulson then reviewed the work of the day in the collecting and
identification of the Lichens, and also made some interesting observations on the
life histories.
It was moved that a vote of thanks should be passed to Mr. Paulson
for his kind assistance. This was carried by acclamation, and the meeting
ended, the party making its way to Theydon Bois Station for the return
journey.
VISIT TO GRAYS, AND 281st ORDINARY MEETING.
Wednesday, 27th April 1910.
This all-day meeting was held for the purpose of inspecting the Metropolitan
Asylums Board's training-ship "Exmouth," by kind invitation of Captain-
Superintendent R. B. Colmore, R.N., and of visiting the large chalk-quarries
belonging to the Grays Chalk Quarries Company.
The party assembled at Grays Railway Station at a few minutes past 11 a.m.
and proceeded at once to the river-bank, where boats, manned by the boys, were
in readiness to conduct the visitors to the ship. Upon arrival on board, an
inspection was made of the admirable sleeping, teaching, and other arrangements,
under Capt. Colmore's personal guidance, who proferred full information on the
objects and success of the institution. An extremely interesting display was then
given by the 700 boys now on board the vessel, comprising physical exercises,
athletics, gun and cutlass drill, etc., to the expressed delight of the assembled
visitors. At its conclusion, the Hon. Excursions Secretary thanked Capt.
Colmore, on behalf of the party and in the name of the Club as a whole, for his
kindness in giving the opportunity for such au interesting and instructive visit.
Captain Colmore replied, thanking the Club for its visit, and stating how pleased
his Board were to find the public interested in their work of giving destitute boys
a fair start in life. He quoted instances of the success in later years of some
former members of his crew.
The party were then rowed ashore, and proceeded to the "Queen's Hotel"
for lunch. A telegram from the Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. Cole, was read by the
Chairman, Mr. T. V. Holmes, F.G.S., regretting his inability to be present on
account of ill-health, and wishing success to the meeting.
After lunch, a visit was paid to the Duval's Pit of the Quarry Co., where the
deeper chalk-workings, the overlying Thanet Sand, and the Valley deposits of
gravel and brickearth were in turn examined.
Mr. T. V. Holmes, F.G.S., who acted as geological conductor to the party,
gave several informal accounts of the stratigraphy of the Grays district, and
particularly referred to the large sarsens or greywether stones which occur in the
Valley Gravel, of which several large examples were seen in situ, and others lying
on the floor of the pit. These huge blocks of stone, all of them with beautifully