304 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
The weather effectually denied any attempt at careful search for wild flowers,
but some interesting trees were observed, the prodigal abundance of hawthorn
flowers being a special feature ; a large tree of Field Maple was seen in full
flower, while at High Beach two large Walnut trees and two Pear trees were un-
expected finds in the woodland, these doubtless marking the site of an old garden
enclosure long since thrown back into the waste.
Birds were not much in evidence, but Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Cuckoo
were among the spring migrants seen or heard, and more than one Nightingale
was singing in depressing surroundings.
A very welcome tea was enjoyed at the Duke of Wellington Inn at High
Beach, after which the bedraggled party made its way across the Forest to Loughton
for the homeward journey by bus or train.
FOREST RAMBLE—WOODFORD TO HIGH BEACH (853rd Meeting).
SATURDAY 7th JULY, 1945.
A party of 20 members foregathered at the Bridge over the Ching Brook in
Whitehall Road, Woodford, at 11 o'clock, in glorious summer weather, for a
day's botanical ramble through our much loved Forest, under the expert guidance
of Mr. Joseph Ross.
The route followed was designedly a devious one, so as to enable the party to
visit spots known to be the stations of certain rarities : although for the greater
part within the woodlands, a deviation along some of the picturesque lanes at
Leppitt's Hill and through the village of High Beach, made a delightful change
which afforded beautiful views over the valley of the Lea to the distant hills of
Hertfordshire to the West.
Our usual botanical recorders not being available on this occasion, no attempt
was made to compile a full list of the many plants observed, but among many
interesting forms noted were the following : exact localities are, of course, not
given.
Mares-tail, Hippuris vulgaris. Two flourishing clumps of this local rarity
were seen in one pond.
The liverwort, Riccia fluitans, occurred in profusion on the muddy margin of a
swampy pool in which a goodly mass of Hottonia palustris, now mostly past the
flowering stage but still exhibiting a few belated blooms, was also noted, together
with Ranunculus sceleratus. The narrow-leaved reed-mace, Typha angustifolia,
almost choked one small pond.
Other water-loving plants observed included Elodea canadensis in flower, the
true water forget-me-not, Myosotis palustris. Aenanthe crocata, the Lesser Spear-
wort, Ranunculus Flammula, and Skull-cap, Scutellaria galericulata ; while the
inconspicuous little Marsh Speedwell, Veronica scutellata, flowering in a ditch,
was a noteworthy find.
The alien Claytonia sibirica was observed flowering profusely in one locality:
and the Small-flowered Balsam, Impatiens parviflora, was observed at one spot.
A fine mass of Butterbur, Petasites ovatus, was seen, now of course long past
the flowering stage.
The Meadow Crane's-bill. Geranium pratense, was noted in good flower in
one station visited.
Several bushes of Spindle, Euonymus europaeus, with many green immature
fruits, were seen, also Buckthorn. Rhamnus catharticus, and wild raspberry,
Rubus idaeus.
Other plants of interest were Galium verum. Bryonia-dioiea, Lotus uliginosus,
Ononis spinosa, Agrimonia Eupatoria, Senecio sylvaticus, Campanula rotundi-
folia, Honeysuckle, and, among the many grasses, Phleum pratense. Molinia
caerulea, Deschampsia caespitosa and Nardus stricta.
The sight of a White Admiral Butterfly, Limenitis camilla, flying along a Forest
glade, was a notable entomological observation.
This rare butterfly is exclusively a woodland form : like the Comma Butterfly
it is extending its range.