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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
He also showed a number of prints and photographs of Leez Priory,
and also a cup of all-white Bow porcelain, with sprigged ornament, date
about 1750, which had only that morning been given to the Museum.
Miss G. Lister read a paper on the "Turf and Weeds of an old Leyton-
"stone Garden," which she illustrated by an exhibition of herbarium-
specimens of the plants mentioned and by many charming water-colour
drawings by her father.
Mr. H. Main gave an account of "Hydrophilus piceus and Dytiscus
"marginalis and their Life histories," which was illustrated by many
lantern-photographs taken by himself and by various exhibits.
The best thanks of the meeting were accorded to the authors of both
papers and to the several donors and exhibitors.
ORDINARY MEETING (726TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 24TH FEBRUARY, 1934.
This meeting was held, as usual, in the Physics Lecture Theatre of the
Municipal College, Romford Road, Stratford, at 3 o'clock on the above
afternoon, with the President, Mr. William E. Glegg, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.,
in the chair. 50 members and visitors were present. Before proceeding
with the business of the meeting, the President referred to the death on the
19th instant of the Club's Honorary Treasurer, Mr. John Avery, whose
funeral service that morning he and other members of the Club had
attended. The President said :—
"John Avery became a Member of our Club as long ago as 1889 and
"during the forty-five years of his association with it he has taken a warm
"and prominent interest in its affairs, both on its Council (to which he
"was elected in 1892) and as its honorary treasurer for many years past.
"Incisive in debate, obstinate in adherence to his own point of view,
"his actions were inspired by unswerving loyalty to the Club and devotion
"to its welfare.
"In the earlier years of its existence, the finances of the Club were by
"no means established on a satisfactory basis; there was somewhat
"reckless overspending ; and successive Treasurers had drawn attention
"to the fact that the Life Composition Fund, instead of being invested
"to meet a contingent liability, existed on paper only, and had urged
"that steps should be taken to remedy this serious position.
"But a firmer, professional guidance was needed to carry out this
"reform ; and John Avery, as a partner in a City firm of accountants of
"considerable reputation, undertook to assist the then treasurer in his
"professional capacity. The effect was striking ; in little more than a
"year, Avery, who in March, 1917, assumed, at the request of the Council,
"the full management of the Club's finances, was able to announce that
"the Club, for the first time in its history, possessed invested funds suffi-
"cient to meet all its liabilities, present or contingent.
"For 17 years John Avery has been our Treasurer, and the satisfactory
"condition in which our finances have been maintained throughout that
''period is entirely due to his care and prudence. His loss is indeed a
"great one to the Club and it will be hard to replace him."
The members stood in silence as a mark of respect for the deceased.
The Hon. Secretary reported that, under the Rules, Mrs. Hatley, Miss