256 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Mrs. E. Fox, of "Hispar," Harrow Drive, Romford.
Miss M. Goldwin, M.A., of 8, Rectory Road, Walthamstow, E, 17.
and three candidates were nominated for election.
The Hon. Secretary referred to the recent bereavement of the Club's
Patron, H.R.H, the Duke of Connaught, and said that the President and
he had signed, on behalf of the members of the Club, a respectful letter of
condolence with His Royal Highness, who had graciously acknowledged
same.
The President proposed the hearty thanks of the Club to Mr. Briscoe
for the charming ramble which they had enjoyed under his leadership, and
to both Mr. and Mrs. Briscoe for their kind hospitality that afternoon.
This proposal was carried by acclamation, and Mr. Briscoe replied suitably.
A very pleasant hour or so was then spent in inspecting our host's
garden.
The return to Chelmsford was made by motor omnibus through bye
lanes and roads, in good time to catch the 8.7 train back to London.
VISIT TO THE GRAYS CHALK QUARRIES (518th
MEETING).
Saturday, 26th June, 1920.
This excursion was planned to afford an opportunity of studying the
Botany and Geology of the extensive chalk pits belonging to the Grays
Chalk Quarries Company Ltd., permission to explore which had been
kindly given by the Directors of the Company.
The official party travelled to Grays by the 10.17 a.m. train from
Fenchurch Street; other Members, unable to leave town earlier, joined
the party at the quarries in the afternoon. Mr. E. T. Newton, F.R.S.,
the President, and the Honorary Secretary, were the conductors.
The Pits consist of a lower Chalk quarry and an upper pit of Thanet
Sand, overlaid by Thames Valley deposits which are worked for brick-
earth.
The upper pit was first visited, and plant-collecting was assiduously
pursued by the visitors. The large Greywethers lying on the floor of the
upper pit, which exhibit beautifully mammillated surfaces, and one of
which measures 9ft. 7in. in length, were inspected, and their origin dis-
cussed ; lunch was likewise discussed at this juncture.
The site of the now filled-in Dene Hole, discovered in January last,2
was inspected, and Mr. Percy Thompson gave a brief account of the dis-
covery.
By devious and somewhat difficult routes the visitors made their way
down the face of the Chalk cliff to the floor of the lower pit, which is over-
grown, except for the paths made by the quarrymen to and from the
working face of the Chalk, by a scrub of young Sallow and Birch trees,
with an admixture of Sycamore, Hawthorn, Ash, Elder, Dogwood, Cle-
matis and Rubus caesius. In the older parts of the extensive quarry, the
chalk-loving Ash was seen to be forming an ash-wood.
2 Essex Naturalist, xix, p. 154.