REPORTS OF MEETINGS
49
The following were elected to membership of the Club:
Miss E. English, a.l.a., of 66, Sutton Court Road, Plaistow, E.13.
Mr. William Addison, j.p., of 169 High Road, Loughton.
Mr. A. C. Nelson, of 6 Beckton Gardens, East Ham, E.6.
Miss Roberts described, and illustrated by means of lantern slides, an
unknown species of Micromycopsis which differed from all other aquatic mem-
bers of the family Synchytriaceae in that it attacked Oedogonium and not an
alga belonging to the order Conjugates.
The Micromycopsis, a microscopic fungus, causes the host cell to swell until
it resembles an oogonium. The fungus is first visible as an irregular thallus
with conspicuous oil drops surrounded by the disorganising chloroplast. The
mature prosorus is round, consists of greyish brown granular protoplasm and
is invested by a thick colourless wall. A discharge tube pierces the host wall
and the sorus develops in the water. The spherical sorus consists of seven to
fifteen sporangia, the outer side of each one being protected by a polygonal
plate forming part of the sorus wall which is brownish in colour and covered
by numerous blunt spines.
As interest was expressed in the finding of aquatic fungi, Miss Roberts sug-
gested the following procedure. If a collection of algae and pond water is
poured into a dish so that the water barely covers the algae or debris and left
for a few days, aquatic fungi will probably be found on examination under the
microscope. Fungi may be found in pond debris if it has been sufficiently long
in water—the longer the better.
Mr. Syms showed the larvae of the two Snake-flies, Raphidia notata Fabr.
and Agulla xanthostigma Schum. from Wanstead Park. He also showed the
eggs of Corixa punctata.
Mr. Waller then gave an account of the new fungus disease of sycamore at
Wanstead (see p. 9).
He was followed by Dr. P. H. Gregory who gave further information of this
fungus with some details of the investigations which were being carried out on
it. He illustrated his account with a fine series of lantern slide photographs and
drawings (see p. 13). The lecture provoked a number of questions from mem-
bers which were answered by Mr. Waller and Dr. Gregory.
Ordinary Meeting (931st Meeting)
SATURDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 1951
This meeting was held at the West Ham Municipal College at 3 p.m. The
chair was taken by the President, Mr. Laurence S. Harley. Fifty-seven persons
attended.
The following were elected to membership of the Club:
Mr. R. A. James, of 165 Lodge Avenue, Romford.
Mr. C. R. James (junior member), of 165, Lodge Avenue, Romford.
Mr. B. R. Hawes [Junior member), of 18, Vista Drive, Ilford.
The President then read the names of those members nominated by the
Council to fill vacancies on the Council and to hold office for the following
year. He pointed out that these names had already been circulated to all mem-
bers and that no further nominations had been received, but that it was still
open to any member to make further nominations at this meeting.
The Council's nominations were as follows:
As President: Mr. Laurence S. Harley, b.sc, m.i.e.e.
As Hon. Treasurer: Mr. F. C. Wickson, b.sc. (econ.).
As Joint Hon. Secretaries: Mr. Bernard T. Ward and Mr. W. J. Foster,
LL.B.
As Joint Hon. Field Meetings Secretaries: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ward.
As Hon. Curator, Essex Museum: Mr. E. E. Syms, F.R.E.S., f.z.s.
As Hon. Curator, Epping Forest Museum: Mr. Bernard T. Ward.
As Hon. Librarian: Mr. C. Hall Crouch, F.S.G.