252 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
The President exhibited the sulphur-bacterium, Chromatium Okenii,
and an alga, Chlorella, which respectively, by their abundance, colour the
water of ponds red and green.
The thanks of those present were passed to the various exhibitors,
and the meeting then resolved itself into a conversazione.
CRYPTOGAMIC FORAY IN EPPING FOREST
(648TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 10TH NOVEMBER, 1928.
A morning of dense fog (which did not clear until past midday, and
which was followed by an increasing fall of rain during the afternoon
and evening) was not the most propitious omen for a whole day's ramble
in the woods, but nevertheless a party of in all over thirty members and
visitors took part in this year's Cryptogamic Foray, which was held in
the Loughton district of Epping Forest.
The referees for the day were as under :—
For ferns and vascular cryptogams .. Mr. F. W. Thorrington.
For mosses and hepatics .. .. Mr. W. R. Sherrin, A.L.S.
For lichens ........Mr. R. Paulson, F.L.S.
Miss G. Lister, F.L.S., who was to have led the party for myxomycetes
and fungi, was suffering from a bronchial cold and so was unable to
attend the foray, Miss A. Lorrain Smith, F.L.S., our second referee for
lichens, although present at the start, was compelled to turn back shortly
after the Forest was entered, and Miss Nellie Carter, D.Sc., F.L.S., who
had been expected to act as referee for the algae, was also an absentee.
The party assembled at Loughton Station at 11 o'clock, some twenty
minutes after the appointed time owing to delay caused by the fog, and
proceeding through the village, entered the Forest at the spot where Staples
Pond, now converted to a marshy glade, formerly was. The Honorary
Secretary acted as guide, and the members of the part)' were noticeably
careful to keep in close touch with their leader, as the thick white fog
would have effectually caused them to lose their bearings had they strayed :
in this respect the fog proved a blessing, as the Secretary found it unusually
easy to keep his flock together. The route taken was along the brook
to Debden Slade, thence uphill to Grubb's Pits, and so to Blackweir Hill ;
thence down to Baldwin's Pond to enable aquatic organisms to be sought
for : and later, after the usual al fresco lunch in the woods, along the
"Green Ride" and into Great and Little Monk Woods, and so to High
Beach. Throughout the ramble various objects of interest were found
and exhibited, and frequent informal talks were given by the referees
on the treasures met with.
Tea was taken at the Roserville Retreat at High Beach at 4.15 o'clock ;
following which, a Meeting of the Club was held, the President being in
the Chair.
After the Hon. Secretary had explained, and apologised for, the
absence of certain of the referees, the President called upon those of the
latter who were present to give their reports on the specimens found.
Mr. Sherrin reported a total of 47 species of mosses as a result of the
day's foray, which included Zygodon forsteri, Eurhynchium rusciforme,