THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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Mr. Graddon exhibited and described two discomycetes, Ciliaria setosa
and Dasycypha soppittii, which were apparently new records for our
County.
Mr. Ross showed some opening flowerbuds of Hawthorn, gathered
that morning in Epping Forest from a leafless bush—a curious result of a
year of abnormal weather.
Mr. Warren read a note on two specimens of a fossil oyster from an
unknown (probably submarine) Tertiary deposit near Walton-on-Naze,
and presented the specimens to the Museum.
The Curator exhibited scale-models of three characteristic Essex
coastal boats (a Thames Sailing Barge, a Leigh Bawley and a Leigh
Cockle Boat) just acquired for the Museum. Mr. Harley made some
explanatory remarks on their rig and said that the Bawley, at least, was
likely soon to become a "bygone."
Mr. Thompson also showed 43 photographs from the Pictorial Survey
collection, illustrating Buckhurst Hill topography.
Mr. Scourfield read his Report, as Club's Delegate to the Conference
of Corresponding Societies, British Association Meeting at Cambridge,
1938.
Thanks were awarded to the Delegate for his Report.
The President called upon Mr. Ernest Linder, B.Sc, who read a paper
on " The Red Hills of Canvey Island," which he illustrated by a large series
of specimens, diagrams and tables. The paper provoked an interesting
discussion, in which Messrs. Warren, Thompson, Scourfield, Graddon,
Harley and Salmon took part.
Thanks were warmly accorded to Mr. Linder for his communication,
and the meeting was declared closed at 5 o'clock.
VISIT TO CHELMSFORD AND WRITTLE.
(799th MEETING).
SATURDAY, 14TH JANUARY, 1939.
The experiment of holding a mid-winter meeting in one or other of the
County towns proved so successful at Southend-on-Sea last year that, in
response to requests from members, a second experiment was tried this
January, the town or, rather City, selected being Chelmsford. Owing to
weather conditions, but a small party of just under 30 persons attended
and these were unanimously of opinion that the present meeting was
equally enjoyable with that of last year.
Arrived (in fog) at Chelmsford either by train or coach, the party
foregathered at 11.30 o'clock at the new Museum, housed in Oaklands
House, a private mansion in large grounds which has within the last few
years been presented to the city. Here, the Chairman of the Library and
Museum Committee of the Chelmsford Corporation, and the Borough
Librarian, Mr. J. H. Davies, welcomed the visitors and an inspection of the
building and its exhibits was made : particular interest was taken by the
party in the fine Hope and Salter Collections of birds, of which the unique
example of the Needle-tailed Swift, the first of only two specimens ever
recorded in this country, attracted special attention: it is gratifying