THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 89
ward, who thanked the members for the hearty response given to the
proposal.
The President expressed the thanks of the party to Mr. Gerald Buxton
and Miss Lister for their leadership during the day, and to the former for
his kindly hospitality. In reply, Mr. Buxton said how pleased he was
to show Hatfield Forest to interested visitors and especially to the Essex
Field Club whose interest was of so extensive and appreciative a character
At just before 7 o'clock, the char-a-bancs were regained at the Wood
Row extremity of the Forest and the party returned to town by the 7.47
o'clock train from Bishop's Stortford, thoroughly satisfied with a very
delightful expedition.
BOTANICAL RAMBLE ON CANVEY ISLAND
(584th MEETING).
SATURDAY, 20TH SEPTEMBER, 1924.
Some thirty members availed themselves of the opportunity to repeat
the preceding year's visit to Canvey Island in search of maritime plants,
in a different locality from that investigated on the previous occasion.
The party assembled at Benfleet station at 10.43 o'clock, on the arrival
of the London train, and at once proceeded to the island, passing over
the Benfleet Creek on foot at low water, and turning eastwards along the
sea-wall until the abundant saltings fringing the Creek were reached.
The typical salt-marsh plants, such as Obione portulacoides, Sueda maritima,
Limonium vulgare, Aster tripolium (both the rayed and the rayless forms),
Plantago maritima, Triglochin maritimum and Sclerochloa maritima, were
growing in profusion on the saltings, while the Crabweeds, Atriplex littoralis
and A. hastata, were in dense masses on the earthen seawall.
Numerous white, silken, dome-shaped "tents" of the fine spider Epeira
quadrata, attracted attention on the Atriplex, and specimens of the spider
itself were not far to seek.
Crossing the Island from north to south, the party visited "Shell
Beach" and explored the deep inlet known as "Shell Bay," which opens
to the broad Thames estuary. Here, on the saltings at the head of the
bay, the Cordgrass, Spartina stricta was found, with Beta maritima and
Sinapis nigra growing on the sea-wall.
The Hon. Secretary remarked that he had observed that the ragstone
facing of the sea wall in this locality exhibited a zonal distribution of lichens.
Just at, or even below, highwater mark, Placodium citrinum was abundant
with lesser growths of Physcia hispida, P. grisea, Placodium murorum,
Lecanora galactina and Xanthoria parietina at slightly higher levels,
but all within occasional reach of salt spray.
The long narrow piece of brackish water, known locally as "The Lake,"
in the centre of the Island, which would seem to be the remains of an
original tidal creek before the final enclosure of Canvey from the sea, was
visited, and here on the fringing swamp, Glaux maritima and Bupleurum
tenuissimum were notable finds.
Tea was taken at Powell's Winter Gardens, on the way back to the
ferry ; following which, a formal meeting of the Club was held, over