166 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
near London, our own Epping Forest, has never been studied
along these lines. Perhaps it lies too near London to attract the
professional, yet I think it would prove an interesting study : it
attracts the crowds, but is big enough for them to remain in
circumscribed areas and a large part is relatively unspoilt, surely
an ideal place to investigate the effects of the human factor on a
natural area. Then there are our coastal salt marshes, as yet
uninvaded by the ecologist. Such areas might yield much infor-
mation if studied as a co-operative effort, provided, of course,
that the effort were carefully and thoroughly planned and assidu-
ously pursued.
A series of such carefully planned and directed studies should
go far to satisfying the desire of many to get out into the open air.
It might give direction to this desire and counteract any tendency
—and it is a tendency which must cause some concern—for Club
field excursions to be regarded as ' hikes.'
Turning to indoor meetings there is a big field for activity.
One of the secretary's problems, and not one, I believe, which is
peculiar to our Society, is the arrangement of the annual pro-
gramme of indoor meetings. It ought not to be so. I like to
think there was less difficulty in the past although in this I may
be wrong. At present so much of our amusement is vicarious
that I think we tend to leave too much to the other person : we
expect to be entertained, instructed or educated—so long as no
effort is required from us. I like to think of our indoor meetings
as periods at which we assemble to the mutual advantage of all,
for the exchange of ideas and experiences. Everyone is not in a
position to read a paper, or to give a lecture, although perhaps
more might contribute in this way : but, however important
papers and lectures may be, they should not be regarded as the
main part of the meetings, with exhibits, which have always pre-
ceded them at our indoor meetings, as a sort of time-honoured
preliminary. I should like to see greater emphasis placed on the
exhibits, for most members could bring along some small item of
interest now and again. Nor need such an item be accompanied
by a carefully prepared disquisition : it is just as important for
members to bring along things about which they need enlighten-
ment, something to elicit information from several sources and to
arouse discussion.
Of our journal—the Essex Naturalist—much might be said,
for it plays an important part in the activities of the Club. Let
me emphasise that I consider the periodical of a field club should
be primarily a house journal, a record of what the club is doing.
It ought not to be designed to resemble the publications of national
societies and the bigger scientific periodicals rolled into one,
although this seems often to be its fate. It should have a charac-