REPORTS OF MEETINGS
221
water table on the development of the district and then gave reasons for the
concentration of the objectionable trades connected with the slaughtering
of cattle for London which many years ago had grown up hereabouts.
He went on to speak of the waterways and the water mills connected
therewith and mentioned that three of the latter still existed. Production
of timber for reconstruction after the Great Fire of London became a major
industry and there was then a gap until the introduction of steam power led
to the construction of the great docks with their attendant trades and in-
dustries.
Mr. Driscoll then answered questions by members on the subject of his
lecture and the meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer
for his most interesting talk.
Ordinary Meeting (898th Meeting)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, 1949
This meeting was held at West Ham Municipal College at 3 p.m. with the
President, Dr. Frank W. Jane, in the chair. Forty-six members and visitors
attended.
Two nominations for membership were read and the following three
persons were elected to membership of the Club :
Miss Elsa J. Hilbert, of 106, Wellesley Road, Ilford.
Miss Margaret Wickson (junior member), of 33, Castle Drive, Ilford.
Mr. W. P. Seabrook, of "St. Barnabas," Frinton-on-Sea, Essex.
The Honorary Secretary then announced that the Council nominated
the following for election as officers and members of Council for the year
1949-50.
President : Mr. Laurence S. Harley.
Hon. Treasurer : Mr. F. C. Wickson.
Joint Hon. Secretaries : Mr. W. J. Foster and Mr. B. T. Ward.
Hon. Curator (West Ham Museum) : Mr. E. E. Syms.
Hon. Curator (Epping Forest Museum) : Mr. B. T. Ward.
Joint Hon. Excursions Secretaries : Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ward.
Hon Editor : Mr. C. Bignell Pratt.
Members of Council : Miss A. M. Dofort, Miss E. M. Jones, Dr. R.
Coles, Dr. R. Curnock, Mr. E. Hensler, Mr. W. Howard, Mr. J.
Ross, Mr. S. Waller and Mr. P. Thompson.
The President reminded members that it was open to any member to
make further nominations and that there were further vacancies for Members
of Council.
Mr. Harley showed a section cut from a stem of cherry which had been
constricted by a strong encircling growth of ivy. This served as a warning
of the damage which could be caused to a tree in this way, for the cherry
had been so weakened as to be snapped off.
Mr. Ross showed a specimen of Didymium trachysporum, a species of
Mycetozoa which had been described, figured and named as a new species
in 1922 by Miss G. Lister in the Essex Naturalist, Vol. xx, p. 113. He also
showed specimens of Didymium squamulosum and D. spumarioides for com-
parison.
Miss Greaves showed, from the Pictorial Survey Collection, a number
of views of Colchester of particular interest to those members who intended
to join in the Club's forthcoming visit to that city.
Mr. Alfred Leutscher of the British Museum (Natural History) then
gave a lecture on The Reptiles and Amphibia of the British Isles. Having
given his reasons for specialising in these animals, he touched upon their
derivation from the fishes of the Devonian period and the amphibians of the