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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Archibald Geikie, and eulogised his scientific and literary work : a vote
of condolence with the deceased's daughters was passed in silence.
Miss Margaret Bethune, of "Fairmead" Loughton, was elected a
member of the Club, and one form of nomination was read.
The President then called upon each of the Conductors in turn for a
report on the finds of the day.
Mr. Ross reported that the rare hepatic, Ptilidium pulcherrimum, and
a small fragment of the even rarer local moss, Zygodon Forsteri var.
Sendtneri, had been met with.
Mr. Sherrin reported that he had identified thirteen forms of Sphagnum
from Epping Forest during recent years1 ; it was of course impossible to
determine these in the field as they required microscopic examination in
all cases.
Miss Lorrain Smith reported that lichens had, as anticipated, proved
to be scarce and poorly developed in the portion of the Forest traversed
that day, but one or two forms, notably Lecanora varia, were abundant.
Mr. Paulson called attention to the black stain seen upon pebbles
in the bed of the Ching Brook, which was probably a barren lichen of the
genus Verrucaria.
Miss Lister reported that twenty forms of myxomycetes had been re-
corded that day, of which the most noteworthy was a splendid collection
of the fruits of Badhamia utricularis growing on bark in pendant masses,
"a hanging forest of grape-like sporangia."
The Rev. C. H. Binstead, a member of the British Moss Club, who
attended the Foray as a visitor, said that he had noted 33 species of mosses,
of which Eurhynchium speciosum was one of the most interesting.
The thanks of those present, to the several Conductors, was proposed
by the President and accorded by acclamation, and the meeting terminated.
ORDINARY MEETING (588TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 29TH NOVEMBER, 1924.
The second meeting of the "Winter Session was held at 3 o'clock on the
above date in the Physical Lecture Theatre of the Municipal College,
Romford Road, Stratford : the President, Sir Arthur Smith Woodward,
F.R.S., presided, and some 55 members were present.
Mr. George Arthur German, M.Sc., F.G.S., 24, Water Lane, South Park,
Ilford, was elected a Member of the Club.
On behalf of Mr. John Briginshaw, the Hon. Secretary exhibited a
series of 28 water-colour sketches of the Vale of Dedham and "Constable's
Country," and of Epping Forest, also eight photographic views of Epping
Forest, all the work of Mr. Briginshaw.
Miss G. Lister exhibited a cluster of some thirty eggs, containing
developed embryos, of the common Grass Snake, which were found in a
heap of decaying leaves in Devonshire ; also ripe fruits of Ginkgo biloba,
received from Zurich.
Miss Lister also exhibited, and presented to the Museum, specimens of
1 Specimens of these have been presented by Mr. Sherrin to the Club's Museum at
Stratford.