56
THE ESSEX NATURALIST
leader who circulated among those travelling some ten living specimens of the
fauna which he anticipated would be found in the streams and pools to be
visited. These were accompanied by a typed descriptive note of each specimen.
It was with some relief that, after two and a half hour's drive along a busy
highway the party disembarked at a quiet spot about one mile due south of
Flatford as the crow flies.
A foreboding weather forecast had prepared everyone for the worst, but it
remained fine for the period of a picnic lunch and at no time, until the shelter
of the tea-room was attained, was the rainfall really heavy.
As anticipated, the cold, swift-flowing water of the Scirburn Brook emanat-
ing from a spring and running down to stagnant weedy pools led to the finding
of an interesting fauna adapted to such conditions. There was a corresponding
varying flora.
The visit to this brook was made possible by the courtesy of Brigadier
Parrington, of Tumblelands, and, in due course, passing on the way some
luxurious water-cress beds, Scirburn Mill, the home of Captain Parrington,
was reached where a gracious welcome was given by Mrs. Parrington. Here
the stragglers were awaited and the party re-assembled before proceeding to
Flatford Mill by way of an embankment and sluice to which further reference
will be made.
Tea at a nearby cafe was followed by a formal business meeting. Through
change of residence our former Field Meeting Secretary, Miss G. B. Hilbert,
finds it difficult to attend the Club's meetings and it was with great pleasure
that she was welcomed on this occasion and elected to take the chair.
The following were then elected to membership of the Club:
Miss Winifred Marsh, of 91 Poppleton Road, Leytonstone, E.11.
Mrs. Margaret Adler, of "Springfield", Piercing Hill, Theydon Bois.
Mr. Broughton was called upon to comment on the biological aspect of the
afternoon's experiences. He said that all of the anticipated fauna had been
collected besides others of interest and as most of them had already been
described in the circular distributed during the coach journey he would not
take up time in enumerating them individually. Mr. Broughton passed round
some specimens for inspection and as one, the larva of the Buffalo Gnat
(Simulium) was of exceptional interest having regard to its remarkable adapta-
bility in accommodating itself to its surroundings he gave a detailed account
of its anatomy and life history.
In addition to his scientific exposition, the leader also described the course
of litigation whereby the farmlands in the locality had been spared from
spoliation. By the erection of an adequate embankment and sluice the sea
water had been prevented from over-running land normally watered by fresh
water inlets from the River Stour.
Mr. Bernard Ward then gave an account of the flora discovered in the dis-
trict. Notes are appended to this report on the records of the fauna and flora
respectively.
Before making the return journey visits were made by the courtesy and under
the guidance of Mr. J. H. C. Butler, the Director of the Council for the Pro-
motion of Field Studies, to Flatford Mill and the nearby Willy Lott's Cottage.
Mr. Peter Hartley, Warden of the Mill, showed the Constable Room.
Mr. Howard comments: Of the 177 plants observed and included in Mr.
Bernard Ward's interesting list the undermentioned are noteworthy: White
Melilot (Melilotus alba Medic), Hoary Cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea L.),
Golden Saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium L.), Celery (Apium graveo-
lens L.), Sea Aster (Aster Tripolium L.), Cudweed (Filago germanica L.), Corn
Chamomile (Chrysanthemum segetum L.), Chicory (Cichorium Intybus L.),
Vervain (Verbena officinalis L.), Marsh Woundwort (Stachys palustris L.) and
Hemp Nettle (Galeopsis Tetrahit L.). A quantity of Floating Persicaria (Poly-
gonum amphibium L.) on the surface of the River Stour was particularly
attractive.