THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
209
The main party started from Loughton station at shortly after
10 o'clock, and travelled by motor coach via Epping, Ongar, the Roothings
and Barnston, to a point on the Felsted-Chelmsford road (Warners' Farm),
where, punctually at 11.45 o'clock, Mr. Owen was met, and a ramble
through the Chelmer meadows began, lunch being taken by the way.
Here the botanists of the party set about collecting and a goodly
total of 130 species of flowering-plants was recorded, including such
interesting forms as Trifolium ochroleucum, Vicia sativa, Lathyrus nissolia,
Conium maculatum, Chaerophyllum temulum, Matricaria suaveolens,
Carduus crispus, Linaria vulgaris, Scrophularia aquatica, Plantago media,
Orchis maculata and Iris pseudacorus. A huge specimen of the fungus,
Polyporus squamosus, 161/2 inches in diameter, was noticed growing on a
large elm.
The entomologists, also, made some interesting finds, various coleoptera,
including a male Stag Beetle, and lepidoptera, such as Painted Lady,
Brimstone, Large Skipper, Small Tortoise shell and Small Copper butter-
flies, and Yellow Shell moth, being noted.
An interesting observation was that of a Small Magpie moth
(Eurrhypara urticata) which was seen to be greedily sucking the froth of
cuckoo-spit. But the chief observations were ornithological. Guided
by Mr. Owen, various nests of Shrikes, Whitethroats, Chaffinches, etc.,
were found. One nest of Red-backed Shrike contained four nestlings,
and nearby was seen the parent's "larder," with an earthworm impaled
on a hawthorn thorn, while remnants of feathers told of bird-victims
in the past.
At Hartford End, a young Cuckoo was seen filling a hedge sparrow's
nest.
In all 30 species of birds were seen or heard, including Little Owl,
"Snipe, Peewit, Spotted Flycatcher, Bullfinch, Turtle Dove, etc.
A shallow gravel-pit noticed en route contained a sarsen, some 2 feet
across so far as exposed, and numerous quartz-blocks and Triassic sand-
stones—evidently a Glacial Gravel or a rearranged one.
A huge old oak at Littley Park, about 21 feet girth at 5 feet from the
ground, and with a tall straight trunk, and the fine avenue of ancient
elms leading from the house to the main road, attracted attention.
At Hartford End, the vehicles were regained, and Felsted was reached
at about 2.45 o'clock.
After a welcome, and introductions, at the Old School House, the Rev.
E.J. Robson conducted the visitors round the village and gave a running
account of the history of the place and of the houses visited.
The church, dedicated to the Holy Cross, was of course inspected.
The fine square W. Tower, of Norman architecture (circa 1140), the
Transitional Norman S. door and S. nave-arcade and the 14th century
N. arcade of the nave, the elaborate Rich monument (1566) in the
S. Chapel, some good 15th century brasses, and the "Poor Man's Chest"
or alms-box of 16th century date, were in turn admired.
The quaint lych-gate entrance to the churchyard formed under the
original School House—a medieval building which is older than the
foundation of the School itself—was generally admired : Mr. Robson
called attention to the two shuttered windows within the archway, which.