THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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F.E.S., in which was announced the capture, on the occasion of the Fungus
Foray (October 16th), of a specimen of Limax cinereo-niger. It was
found under the loose bark of a fallen tree near Loughton. The name of
the specimen had been verified by Mr. W. Denison Roebuck, F.L.S., of
Leeds, who also confirms the fact that it is a new record for Essex.
Mr. Cole quoted some information concerning the mollusc from Taylor's
Monograph, dwelling particularly on the fact that there were described
21 varieties and 72 sub-varieties, making 93 names in all for this one slug,
besides 26 synonyms. These were colour variations, ranging through
all tints from white to black. In a state of nature, the slug was considered
to be a fungus-feeder almost exclusively (Peziza, Morchella, etc). In
confinement, it would eat mushrooms.
Collection of Reptiles Presented.—The Secretary announced that
Mrs. Britton had presented her son's (the late Mr. Edward Britton's)
collection of Reptiles (mainly British) to the Museum, together with a
few land and fresh-water mollusca. The reptilia were preserved in spirit
in bottles and tubes.
A special vote of thanks was passed to Mrs. Britton for her thoughtful
kindness.
Mr. Cole said that the specimens would need re-mounting in appro-
priate glass-jars—operations which must be postponed until museum
jars of English manufacture could be procured. He supposed our English
bottle-makers would not take the matter up until after the War.
Fresh-Water Polyzoa.—Mr. Joseph Wilson, F.R.M.S., gave a lecture
on Fresh-water Polyzoa, which was illustrated by living specimens shown
under the microscope and by an abundance of lantern-slides. Mr. Wilson
dilated on those species which occurred in Essex, principally in the Epping
Forest districts. He showed Lophopus crystallinus, the young polype
emerging from the statoblast of Cristatella mucedo, young polypes of
Plumatella repens emerging from statoblasts, a very fine specimen of
Plumatella fungosa, Fredericella sultana, and Paludicella articulata, as
well as a slide showing the winter buds or hybernaculae of the latter
species.
Living specimens of Hydra viridis, H. vulgaris, and H. fusca were in tubes
on the table, and mounted specimens of hydrozoa were on view for con-
trasting with the specimens exhibited of polyzoa.
To illustrate Mr. Wilson's paper, Mr. C. H. Bestow, F.R.M.S., at the
close of the meeting, exhibited under his microscope Lophopus crystallinus,
Cristatella mucedo and statoblast, Plumatella repens, and Alcyonella
fungosa.
Mr. Scourfield and Mr. Thompson made some observations on the
subject, and Mr. Wilson was cordially thanked for his demonstration.
Recent Roman Discoveries in London.—Mr. Frank Lambert, M.A.,
Hon. Secretary of the British Archaeological Association, and Assistant
Curator of the Guildhall Museum, gave a lecture on this subject, amply
illustrated by numerous lantern photographs and sketches on the black-
board, and by actual objects lately obtained during excavations.
The syllabus was as follows:—Rubbish Pits on G.P.O. site—Dating
Evidence for Roman Pottery—More Rubbish Pits in King William Street—
Part of a Stream-Bed under Bow Church, Cheapside—The Walbrook and