107
ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR 1921-22, PRESENTED TO THE
ANNUAL MEETING ON MARCH 25TH, 1922.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The activities of the Club have been maintained in full measure during
the past year.
Since our last Annual Meeting we have lost 22 Members by death or
resignation, including one of our Honorary Members, Dr. Henry Wood-
ward, LL.D., F.R.S., F.G.S., etc., whose lamented decease at the ripe
age of over 88 years took place on 6th September last. We have also to
deplore the recent death, on 28th February last, in his 87th year, of Mr.
Andrew Johnston, J.P., D.L., of Woodford, whose name all Essex people
hold in respect. Mr. Johnston was an original Member of the Club, and
in its earlier (and his own younger) days, took an active part in its work.
During the year 26 new Members have joined us, so that the present
membership of the Club stands at 17 honorary members and 307 ordinary
members, totalling 324.
The attendance at our Stratford Meetings has been very satisfactory,
ranging from 48 to 66 on each occasion, with an average of 54.
During the year several valuable papers or lectures have been read or
delivered to the Club; among these may be cited the President's Address
on "Ten Years' Progress in Lichenology in the British Isles," Dr. Brench-
ley's lecture on "Weeds and their Relation to Soils and Crops," Mr. Scour-
field's lecture on "The Logarithmic Spiral in Nature," Mr. Seabrook's
lecture on "The Nile in the Service of Egypt," Mr. Morris's paper on
"Some Neolithic Sites in the Valley of the Essex Cam," Mr. Nicholson's
paper on "The Rosy-marbled Moth in Britain," Mr. Main's paper on
"Atypus affinis in Epping Forest," and Mr. Whitehead's paper on "The
British Fresh-water Planarians."
The field meetings also have been well supported, an average number
of 46 members taking part. Thanks are due to our member, Mr. James
Keeves, for his kindly hospitality at "Haslemere," Hutton Mount, during
our summer visit to that neighbourhood.
The Club's Museum at Stratford has been enriched during the past
twelve months by many valuable accessions; among these may be speci-
ally mentioned the mounted specimen of a Roller from Ramsey, the 50
skins of Canadian birds presented by Mr. Hardy, the interesting specimen
of Little Grebe, choked by a Bull-head, and a series of 20 nestling birds in
down. The exhibits of living plants, and the aquaria of living marine
organisms, have been kept going throughout the year, thanks to the kind-
ness of certain of our Members in providing constantly fresh supplies of
specimens.
The appointment during last summer of Mr. G. A. Hardy as museum-
assistant has resulted in many examples of his skill as a taxidermist being
exhibited in the Museum and at our meetings.
Some 193 volumes have been added to the Club's Library during the
year, the total number of bound volumes now amounting to 4,567, in addi-
tion to numerous unbound parts and pamphlets. Some important dona-