38 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
floras of the various geological periods from the earliest-known down to
recent times.
Hearty thanks were accorded to the Lecturer.
CRYPTOGAMIC FORAY IN EPPING FOREST
(494th MEETING).
SATURDAY, 9TH NOVEMBER 1918.
A gloriously-fine sunny day, following a night of sharp white frost
and a thin pearly mist, which imparted delicacy and fairy-like glamour
to the forest landscapes, welcomed the party of over 40 Members and
friends as they approached their hunting grounds in the Theydon district
of the Epping woodlands.
The referees for the day were:—
Mycetozoa .. The President and Miss A. Hibbert-Ware. F.L.S.
Mosses and Hepatics Mr. L. B. Hall, F.L.S.
Lichens .. Mr. R. Paulson, F.L.S.
Miss A. Lorrain Smith, F.L.S., who had arranged to be of the Party,
was unfortunately prevented by indisposition from attending.
The Party assembled at Theydon Bois station at 11.0 a.m., and pro-
ceeded through the village to Oak Hill. A wall-top en route proved a
great attraction to the lichen- and moss-hunters, and yielded Diploschistes
scruposus, Lecidea lucida, Barbula convoluta, Grimmia pulvinata and other
interesting treasures. A well-known wayside bank yielded Bartramia
pomiformis and masses of Aulacomnium androgynum with its characteristic
gemmae. Here, too, our President had the good fortune to light upon the
uncommon lichen, Coniocybe furfuracea, in abundant fruit. Elsewhere,
in the Forest itself, masses of the lichen Baeomyces roseus, with its conspicu-
ous pink apothecia, literally carpeted the ground.
The route followed was by way of Jack's Hill to the "Wake Arms,"
and thence to Highbeach, which was reached at about 3.30 o'clock, after a
successful and most enjoyable hunt, lunch being taken (and appreciated),
by the wayside, the party camping for the purpose amidst the dry bracken.
At the headquarters, the Roserville Retreat, a named display was
arranged of the specimens collected, comprising mosses and hepatics, a
number of agarics, lichens, and mycetozoa, and informal educational
talks on the exhibits were given by the experts.
Tea was taken at 4.15 o'clock, after which a formal Meeting of the
Club was held, the President in the chair.
Mr. H. Batchelor, of 12, Preston Road, Leytonstone, E. 11., was elected
a Member, and three persons were nominated for election at the' next
Meeting.
The President then called upon Mr. L. B. Hall, who reported that
36 species of mosses had been noted during the day, all of them interesting
though none were of outstanding rarity.
Mr. R. Paulson, who was next called upon to report on the lichens,
stated that over 20 forms, several of them of considerable interest on
account of their rarity, had been met with during the foray. Thus, the
President had that morning found Coniocybe furfuracea, which had not