14 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
present this wonderful bit of natural beauty to the Nation
from his death-bed gave him the utmost pleasure and content-
ment, although he was only assured of it 3 weeks before he died.
Suggestions have been made to rename the Forest after him.
There is nothing he would have detested more and as to a granite
or any such memorial, either there or on Epping Forest, as
has also been suggested, he would have considered it as an
eyesore.
Gerald Buxton.
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB—REPORTS OF
MEETINGS.
ORDINARY MEETING (571st MEETING).
SATURDAY, 27TH OCTOBER, 1923.
The first Winter Meeting was held at 3 o'clock on the above date in the
Physical Lecture Theatre of the Municipal Technical College, Romford
Road, Stratford, with the President in the Chair.
Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Minnis, of 77, Monkhams Avenue, Woodford Green,
were elected Members of the Club.
Mr. J. Avery exhibited a series of 38 portraits of Essex worthies from
his own collection, and contributed some particulars of the individuals
portrayed.
Miss Harbott exhibited, and presented to the Museum, a curious
double nest of the Thrush and a nest of the Long-tailed Tit.
Mr. Jane exhibited a living Carp, which was attacked by the fungus
Saprolegnia ferox, and gave a short account of the fungus concerned.
The Hon. Secretary exhibited on behalf of Miss Greaves a series of some
50 photographs of Essex Windmills which had recently been acquired for
the Club's Pictorial Survey of the County.
He also exhibited two autograph letters from Charles Darwin, ad-
dressed to Mr. William Cole in 1880, which he had come across in turning
over some old Club correspondence and which he had had framed ; these
letters are reproduced in facsimile in Plate 4. In commenting upon the
kindly interest taken by the great scientist in the Club in its infancy, Mr.
Thompson recalled the fact that, ten days after Darwin's death, at. a
meeting of the Club held on 29th April, 1882, our then President, the
late Professor Meldola, in moving that a letter of condolence should be
sent to the family of our deceased honorary member, made the following
prophetic remark :
" When in future years we look back to the period of the founda-
tion of this Society, we shall point with pride to the name of Charles
Darwin as having been among those of our earliest supporters."
We may assuredly claim that these words are true to-day !