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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
The existing officers of the Club having been nominated for re-election,
and no counter-nominations having been made, were declared by the
President to be duly re-elected to their respective offices, viz.:—
Hon. Treasurer: Mr. Laurence S. Harley, B.Sc.
Hon. Librarian: Mr. Charles Hall Crouch, F.S.G.
Hon. Secretary: Mr. Percy Thompson, F.L.S.
Hon. Excursions Secretary: Mr, John Salmon, B.A.
Hon. Editor: Mr. Percy Thompson, F.L.S.
Hon. Curator at Queen Elizabeth's Lodge: Mr. Joseph Ross.
Election of Auditor: Mr. C. Hall Crouch was nominated by the Council
as Auditor for 1939-40. A second auditor had to be elected by
the annual meeting. On the motion of Mrs. Crouch, with Mrs.
Glegg seconding, Mr. Price was elected second auditor, nem. con.
The President then gave his presidential address on "Biotic Factors,"
which he concluded by vacating the chair in favour of the new President,
Mr. S. Hazzledine Warren.
The Hon. Secretary, in the name of the annual meeting, welcomed
Mr. Warren, who now resumed his occupancy of the presidential chair
after an interval of twenty-four years. He quoted the words of the late
Professor Meldola in 1901, on a similar occasion, who said :
"Not often in the annals of a scientific society does it fall to the
"lot of the same individual to be called upon to occupy the presidential
"chair after an interval of twenty-one years."
He also wished to express the thanks of the meeting to the retiring
President for his kindly services during his term of office, and to ask his
permission for the address to which they had just listened to be printed
in the Club's journal.
The President having put this to the meeting, which signified its
consent by acclamation, declared the meeting closed at 5 o'clock.
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL.
Presented to the Annual Meeting, Saturday, 25TH March, 1939.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your Council congratulates the members and itself on attaining, and
passing, the 800th meeting of the Club.
Meetings held during the past year have seen satisfactory attendances.
The quality of the communications read at our winter meetings has been
well maintained, and the field meetings have, thanks to Mr. Salmon's
enthusiasm, been both enjoyable and interesting. The experiment
made last year of holding a midwinter meeting at an Essex town was so
much appreciated that it justified a similar meeting this year, at Chelmsford
in January; this proved, notwithstanding indifferent weather conditions,
fully as successful as the former visit to Southend. Hospitality was
kindly shown us by Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Bull, at Little Baddow, and by
Mrs. Watson-Smyth at Edwins Hall, near Woodham Ferrers, when we
visited those districts. We gratefully acknowledge these kindnesses.