58
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
He also exhibited a curious "animistic" flint, which, although only
an example of irregular natural weathering, had inspired the donor who
presented it to the Museum to imagine in it various birds and other designs,
of which he had made a drawing to accompany the specimen.
The President exhibited under a microscope a specimen of so-called
"red snow" from Savoy, a phenomenon caused by an alga (Chlamy-
domonas nivalis) ; also further specimens of the sulphur-bacterium,
Chromatium Okenii, from a pond at Fairmead in Epping Forest, where
this organism has occurred regularly at this season for several years past,
tinging the water to blood-red.
Dr. W. T. Calman read his Report as Club's Delegate to the Conference
of Delegates of Corresponding Societies at the British Association
Meeting at Oxford in August last.
Mr. Hugh Main read some valuable "Notes on Methoca ichneumonides,"
a rare hymenopteron, illustrated by lantern-photographs of his obser-
vations on the larva.
The President then called upon Mr. Charles Nicholson, who read
a paper, "Notes on Some Solitary Bees and Wasps of Essex," illus-
trating same by the exhibit of specimens and by a large number of lantern,
slides.
CRYPTOGAMIC FOR AY—LOUGHTON TO HIGH BEACH
(617TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 13TH NOVEMBER, 1926.
A dismal day of dreadful downpour ! Certainly not for twenty
years past had a field-meeting of the Club encountered such relentless
weather.
A party of just two dozen brave hearts, including a dozen ladies,
assembled at the Loughton railway station at the appointed hour, only
to find the rain pouring down in pitiless fashion. After a half hour's
wait, in the vain expectation of better things, a dash was made for the
Forest, the little band still hoping against hope for an improvement
which, alas, did not come. Collecting in such circumstances was clearly
out of the question, and after an hour and a half's dogged tramp through
the sodden woodlands a halt was called, when near Monk Wood, and the
bedraggled party decided nom. con. to seek shelter at the headquarters at
High Beach.
Here, a hot stove afforded opportunity to dry, at least externally,
our streaming garments, and hot coffee was gratefully welcome to
accompany the cold lunches which had been brought, according to pro-
gramme, by the disillusioned visitors.
Still the rain came down, with no sign of abatement, and at 1.30
o'clock the Hon. Secretary announced that the President, who accom-
panied the party, had decided to abandon the further programme for
the day.
A short formal Meeting of the Club was accordingly held, when four
nominations for membership were read, and the Conductors (or such
of them as remained !) gave very brief accounts of the few specimens which
they had managed to notice during the morning.