REPORTS OF MEETINGS 53
Mr. S. Waller was elected Chairman for the formal meeting which took
place after tea.
Mrs. Y. M. Cory, of 10, Crescent Road, Chingford, E.4, was elected to
membership of the Club.
Accounts of the observations of the day were given by Miss Male and Miss
Johnson for the flowering plants, by Mrs. Harris for the birds and by Miss
Roberts for the fungi.
Mr. Howard reports that thirty-five plants in flower were recorded. The
following were of especial interest as occurring in this district: White Campion
(Melandrium album (Mill.) Garcke), Claytonia perfoliata Will., Mountain Ash
(Pyrus Aucuparia L.), Rue-leaved Saxifrage (Saxifraga tridactylites L.), Yellow
Stonecrop (Sedum acre L.), Oxford Ragwort (Senecio squalidus L.), Ivy-leaved
Toadflax (Linaria Cymbalaria (L.) Mill.) and Hart's-tongue Fern (Phyllitis
scolopendrium (L.) Newm.).
Miss Roberts supplies the following note: A specimen of Campion (Lychnis
dioica) was found infected by the Anther Smut (Ustilago violacea). The smut
grows throughout the tissues of an infected plant and is not seen until the host
flowers. Then the dark purple spores of the fungus appear instead of pollen on
the dehiscence of the anthers. The spores are distributed to other flowers by
insects. In the female flower the presence of the parasite stimulates the
development of the stamens which would otherwise remain rudimentary.
The infected specimen showed the dark purple spore dust of the fungus, and
when compared with a healthy specimen was seen to be smaller. This smut is
fairly common and may be found in both Lychnis dioica and L. alba.
Visit to Chalk Quarry at Grays (935th Meeting)
SUNDAY, 10 JUNE 1951
About forty-five members attended this meeting, which was favoured by
warm sunny weather. The party met at the Grays War Memorial at 11 a.m.
and at once repaired to the chalk quarry which has been visited by the Club on
several occasions during the recent years.
Members were soon dispersed throughout the quarry and busily engaged in
studying the many interesting plants with which it abounds. Several scrambled
up the chalk face and spent some time watching the colony of sand wasps
(Odynerus spinipes) on the brick earth cliff and the ruby tailed wasps and other
insects associated with it.
Mr. E. F. Williams reports that it was a disappointing day for the lepidop-
terist. The wet autumn and spring had retarded the emergence of many species
and in consequence very little was a-wing. There was no sign of the Silver-
studded Blue and only a few Dingy Skippers, Common Blues and Small
Heaths constituted the tally of butterflies for the day.
The usual picnic lunch was taken on the ground, but owing to the large
attendance and the limited accommodation for tea it was decided to meet in
the quarry about 3 p.m. for a discussion of the day's finds. This meeting being
concluded some thirty members walked into Grays for tea at Baird's Cafe,
while the remainder picnicked in the quarry. It was regrettable that the time-
honoured all-in gathering for tea had to be forgone but this was one of the
less pleasant consequences of the otherwise happy popularity of the Club's
field meetings.
Mr. W. B. Broughton reports that the following insects were taken by him
during the day: Orthoptera—Tetrix vittata, Leptophyes punctatissima (nymph),
Chorthippus sp. (nymph). Odonata—Libellula depressa, Enallagma cyathi-
gerum, Coenagrion puella. Hemiptera—Cercopus vulneria. Coleoptera—Lytta
vesicatoria, Brachylacon murinus.
Mr. Howard comments as follows: This quarry, so prolific in interesting
and uncommon plants, again liberally rewarded the efforts of members after
assiduous searching, and they were able to record the existence of ninety-two