212
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
of the visitors visited Stambridge Mill, about a mile distant from Roch-
ford, a picturesque spot, where the reflection of the mill, the trees, and
the cloud-dappled sky in the unruffled surface of the extensive millpond,
formed an unforgetable scene of beauty. The fringe of saltings bordering
the river Roach yielded to the botanists Aster Tripolium, Obione por-
tulacoides, Salicornia herbacea, Suaeda maritima and other marsh-plants,
and served to remind us of our proximity to the coast. Here, too, our
President found Palaemonetes, Sphaeroma and other brackish water or-
ganisms in the millpond. The varied attractions of this charming spot
induced a somewhat too long stay and necessitated a hurried return to
Rochford, where, however, most (if not exactly all), of the party managed
to catch the appointed 6.55 o'clock train back to London, well content
with a delightful day's excursion.
FUNGUS FORAY IN EPPING FOREST (646TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 13TH OCTOBER, 1928.
The Annual Fungus Foray was again held in Epping Forest, the wonder-
fully fine sunny weather enjoyed during the summer and autumn
tempting a large number of members and friends to participate in the
gathering : nearly 130 persons attended during part, at least, of the day,
and over 120 sat down to tea at the close of the active work of collecting.
As usual, various other Societies sent representatives, by invitation of
the Club, and the Foray was held in conjunction with the British
Mycological Society, as in former years.
The referees for the day's finds were as under :—
For the Basidiomycetes
and Ascomycetes
Miss A. Lorrain Smith, F.L.S.
Miss Elsie Wakefield, F.L.S.
Mr. F. G. Gould.
Mr. Arthur A. Pearson, F.L.S.
Mr. J. Ramsbottom, O.B.E., F.L.S.
Miss G. Lister, F.L.S.
For the Myxomycetes
the headquarters for the display of specimens being the Roserville
Retreat at High Beach.
A large Morning Party assembled at Theydon Bois station, at 10.52
o'clock and proceeded through the village, entering the Forest at Oak
Hill, and thence making its way, in small detachments, to High Beach ;
by this method of dividing into small groups, each taking a somewhat
different route, a larger area could be covered and this fact no doubt
contributed to the surprisingly good collection which was later exhibited
at the headquarters.
The Afternoon Party foregathered at Loughton station at 2.37 o'clock
and took a somewhat zigzag route through the woodlands, reaching
High Beach at 4.30 o'clock.
The autumnal tints of the Forest trees were seen at their finest and
evoked many expressions of admiration on the part of the visitors, but the
glory of the autumn woods was greatly marred in the afternoon by the
incessant din proceeding from the dirt track racing ground at High
Beach, which introduced an element of unrest sadly at variance with
the quiet peacefulness of the beautiful woodlands.