THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
179
received, were declared by the president to be duly elected to the respective
offices, viz :—
As Hon. Treasurer, Mr. John Avery, F.C.A.
As Hon. Librarian, Mr. Stephen J. Barns.
As Hon. Secretary, Mr. Percy Thompson, F.L.S.
As Hon. Editor, Mr. Percy Thompson, F.L.S.
As Hon. Assistant Curator at the Forest Museum, Miss Vera Oxley,
Mr. C. Nicholson and Mr. W. H. Ryde, having been duly nominated,
were declared elected as Auditors for 1928-29.
The members of the Forest Museum Committee, viz:—Miss Hibbert-
Ware, Mrs. Kay, Miss G. Lister, Mr. J. Avery and Mr. P. Thompson, were
declared re-elected for 1928-29.
Miss G. Lister then took the chair at the President's request, while
he delivered his Presidential Address, entitled "A Plea for more systematic
attention to Aquatic Biology in Field Club Work." During the course of
the Address, the President exhibited and described various pieces of ap-
paratus (nets, sieves, collecting tins and simple microscopes) employed in
the collection of minute aquatic organisms, and showed lantern views
illustrating various Biological Laboratories in this and other countries.
At the conclusion of the Address, the chairman expressed the pleasure
afforded her by hearing it, and Mr. Barns moved, Mr. Avery seconding,
that the thanks of the meeting be accorded to the President for his Address
and that it be printed and published. On being put to the meeting, the
motion was carried with acclamation.
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL.
Presented to the Annual Meeting on March 31ST, 1928.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In presenting to you its Report of the Club's work during the past
twelve months, your Council has in the first place to deplore the loss by
death of several of its oldest and most valued members. In October lastj
one of our honorary members, Dr. B. Daydon Jackson, passed away
as the result of a street accident; on January 15th, Mr. Miller Christy
an original member and a Past-President of the Club, died following an
operation at age 66, on the 16th of the same month the veteran naturalist
Mr. J. E. Harting, one of our hon. members since 1881, deceased at the
age of 86 years, and on the 2nd of the present month (March), Mr. Gerald
Buxton died at age 65, having been a member since 1897. Each of these
lamented gentlemen rendered yeoman service to the Club in the past and
their loss to us is great indeed.
This loss of old members, added to the occasional resignations incidental
to all societies, have somewhat depleted our numbers : our total mem-
bership to-day stands at 282 only, and this induces your Council to urge
all members to introduce newcomers to fill up our ranks. Especially is
it desirable that young persons should be invited to join our Club, so as
to counteract the inevitable removal by death of the veterans.
In other respects, the past year has seen a steady growth in our activi-
ties. Eleven meetings have been held, with an average attendance of 49,
and the interest of members has been fully maintained.