THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 247
Mr. C. Nicholson exhibited some "fruits" of a species of Oat, Avena
sterilis, a South European plant, possessing hydroscopic awns which assist
in the self-burying of the fruit, and so propagate the plant ; and he demon-
strated the creeping and burying properties of the fruits. Mr. Christy
referred to some North American grasses, of the genus Stipa, which had
similar propensities, but on an exaggerated scale, their awned fruits some-
times becoming entangled in the wool of sheep, and killing the animal
by boring into its body.
Mr. D. J. Scourfield exhibited living specimens of a minute Copepod)
which he had obtained in June 1910, from water accumulated in a little
hollow in a tree (in the angle between the trunk and a large partly exposed
root) near the King's Oak in Epping Forest. He had previously found
the same form in a similar position near Theydon Bois in 1904. It was
apparently an undescribed species of Moraria, but, owing to the scattered
state of the literature dealing with fresh-water Copepods, it was not possible
to state definitely whether it was really new or not. In any case, it was
a new species to Britain. A very remarkable thing about it was its extreme
tenacity of life. The little tube exhibited (about 3 inches long and 1 inch
diameter) had had nothing whatever added to it except clean water from
time to time, and yet the animals had been able to live, and apparently
even to increase in it, for nine months, their nourishment being obtained,
one must suppose, from the small quantity of very innutritious-looking
sediment originally taken with the collection, But more striking still
was the previous case when living specimens were found in a tube kept
in the same way for more than four years, viz. : from May 1904 to October
1908. By means of a sketch on the blackboard, Mr. Scourfield explained
some of the principal features of the organisation of the species, calling
particular attention to the anal plate, which was marked by a series of
shallow radiating wavy folds and a faintly crenulated edge, a type of plate
not previously seen in any species of the genus. The name of the genus,
Moraria, was derived from Loch Morar, in the west of Scotland, where the
first known species were found by Dr. T. Scott.
Mr. W. Cole exhibited the collection of Epping Forest Lichens presented
to the Museum by Messrs. Paulson and Thompson last year, and which
had now been suitably mounted in glass-topped boxes. The specimens
were illustrative of the donors' paper in the Essex Naturalist (ante
pp. 136-45).
Also, samples of the Club's Herbarium of British Flowering-Plants,
which had been collated and arranged by the Rev. A. C. Morris, B.A.,
and Mr. Henry Whitehead, B.Sc. He read a report on the Herbarium
by Mr. Morris, which will be embodied in a "Museum Note" in the Essex
Naturalist.
A very cordial vote of thanks was passed to the Rev. A. C. Morris, for
his long-continued labours in arranging the Herbarium.
Mr. Cole also exhibited a Bill-hook which had been used for at least
100 years as a tool in asserting the lopping rights on the Forest at Loughton
on the 11th day of November in each year. The hook was formerly
owned by Robert Higgins, of Baldwin's Hill, Loughton, uncle to Thomas
Willingale ; later it came into the possession of Thomas Willingale, and
from him descended to Samuel Willingale, who had now presented it to