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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Spiders, and that was of two belonging to James Adams, of
Dunfermline. These, too, had been brought over with bananas,
and Adams kept one in captivity for two and a half years,
during which time it moulted five times, though it increased
very little in size. These moults occurred twice a year—one
in April and one in October. During six months this one took
no food at all, and at one moult it lost a limb, but this reappeared
when it next changed its skin. Since the spider observed by
myself moulted in October also, it will be interesting to see if
it can be kept through the winter, and if it moults again next
April.
The other specimen that James Adams kept, moulted only
once each year, in June or July. He kept this for three and a
half years, and it eventually lost its life whilst undergoing a
moult. The moult is evidently quite a serious matter, involving
far more than the mere casting off of an external coat—it often
loses limbs in the process, and runs the risk of losing its life in
trying to discard the old integument.
However, this particular spider appears to have managed
it very well indeed, and besides emerging with all limbs intact
and dressed in a richly-coloured new coat, it has presented us
with this beautiful specimen of its discarded skin.
NOTES ON THE FOURTH ANGLO-AMERICAN
CONFERENCE OF HISTORIANS.
By Sir ROBERT ARMSTRONG-JONES, M.D., J.P., D.L., F.S.A.
[Read 31st October, 1936.]
I RECEIVED and accepted (through the Hon. Secretary)
the kind invitation of the Council of the Essex Field Club
to act as delegate from the Club to the fourth quinquennial
meeting of the Anglo-American Historical Conference held in
London from July 6th to the 11th (1936). In the interval
between Quinquennial Conferences there is a Continuation
Committee to carry into effect the various suggestions made
at the Conferences.
The meetings of the Conference were held in the tempo ary
buildings of the Institute of Historical Research, Malet Street,
which is that part of the University of London behind the