272
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Mr. Thompson also exhibited the displayed wings and feet of a Common
Buzzard. The bird had been shot at Little Baddow early in February
last and had been lying exposed to the weather until a few days before,
when it was seen by Mr. Thorrington and sent up to the Museum for
identification. The exhibitor expressed his abhorrence of the vandalism
which made a victim of every strange bird which chanced to visit this
country, vandalism which invariably went unpunished, notwithstanding
Wild Birds' Protection Acts, which were treated as a dead letter !
The business of the Annual Meeting was then proceeded with.
The minutes of last year's annual meeting were read and confirmed.
Mr. Avery, honorary treasurer, presented his detailed statement of
the Club's accounts for 1931, which showed a deficit on the year of
£5 4s., due to the cost of printing the instalments of the "General Index."
The Club's finances as a whole were entirely sound, as there remained a
balance, after allowing for all liabilities, of £374. Mr. Avery formally
moved that the accounts be received and approved. Mr. Scourfield
seconded. On being put from the Chair, the motion was carried nem.
con.
The Report of the Council, outlining the work of the Club during
the past year, was read by the Hon. Secretary.
Mr. Price, in moving the adoption of the Report, paid a tribute to the
work put in by the Club's Officers. Mrs. Whitwell seconded the motion,
which was carried unanimously.
Lieut.-Colonel Sir David Prain, C.M.G., C.I.E., F.R.S., etc., having
been duly nominated at the meeting on February 27th, 1932.
and no other nomination having been made, was declared re-elected as
President for 1932-33.
Messrs. Charles Bestow, W. Gurney Benham, C. Hall Crouch and
Laurence S. Harley, having been duly nominated on February 27th,
and no other nominations having been made, were declared re-elected
as Members of Council.
The existing officers of the Club having been duly nominated en bloc
at the meeting on February 27th, and no further nominations having been
made, were declared re-elected to their respective offices, as under :—
Hon. Treasurer : Mr. John Avery, F.C.A., F.S.S.
Hon. Librarian : Mr. Stephen J. Barns.
Hon. Secretary :
Hon. Editor :
Mr. Percy Thompson, F.L.S.
Hon. Assistant Curator at Queen Elizabeth's Lodge : Mrs. Vera Smith,
Hon. Auditor : Mr. C. Hall Crouch.
Mr. Price moved that Mr. J. Ross be appointed as Second Auditor, to
audit the Club's accounts on behalf of the general body of members. Miss
Heath seconded. The motion was carried nem. con.
The President then delivered his presidential address on "Botanical
Study and History," at the conclusion of which Mr. S. Hazzledine Warren
expressed the thanks of the members to the President, and asked that
the address be allowed to be printed and published in the Club's journal.
Mr. Avery supported the proposal, which was carried by acclamation.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5 o'clock.