276 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
it had been foggy! And would members risk booking some weeks ahead
for a meeting which necessitated a seven o'clock start from home?
It was Mr. Fred Williams who took the plunge, and members to the
number of thirty-seven backed him. He had obtained the necessary
concessions from the military authorities who hold sway over this whole
area, he had repeatedly prospected the ground and all that was now needed
was a day of fine weather in this summer of few such days.
Members left their homes in thick mist and the car journey from London
had consequently to be taken at a moderate speed, nevertheless, there
was a full muster at Wakering Stairs at 9.15 a.m. which was the time
appointed for the party to begin a walk along the seven-mile Broomway.
The most welcome guest was the sun. The mist cleared just as the start
was made, and warm sunshine with a gentle southerly breeze prevailed
for the rest of the day.
Between the sands and the shore lies a zone of mud, and this is traversed
by a metalled road. As soon as the firm sand is reached, the track
turns parallel with the coast and is indicated solely by a series of
short posts which continues on a dead straight course as far as the eye
can see. In the days when this track was the only means of access for
vehicles to Foulness Island the markers were "brooms" of brushwood,
and there were several sign-posted branch tracks leading to the various
farms on the Island. There are still several branch tracks, each leading
straight to some point known only to the military users. It is necessary
therefore to know which track to follow as well as to know how long it
will be before the incoming tide floods the four miles or so of level sand.
The members first set off in a long straggling party, keeping to the
marked track and, after a time, a few who were to take the cars on to
Fisherman's Head turned back. The rest soon found that on a day of
such calm, so obviously set fair and with such high visibility it was safe
to wander at will over the firm sand while observing the various forms of
marine life and keeping a weather eye on the progress of the leader along
the track.
No very great numbers of birds were seen, but a few Black-headed,
Herring, and Common Gulls, Redshank, Curlew and Lapwing were seen
along the muddy shore. From time to time a Bed Admiral butterfly was
observed flying steadily seawards two or three feet above the sand. A
compass check on several specimens established that each was flying
S.S.W. and it became obvious that a return migration was in progress.
Details will be reported to the Insect Immigration Committee by Mr.
Williams, for little is known of the return migration of the butterflies
which each summer come to this country from Mediterranean regions and
each well authenticated record helps to add to our knowledge.
Some five miles along the track one of the traditional "keddles" was
seen. It is composed of wire-netting embedded in the sand and standing
a foot or so high to form a V-shaped enclosure with its point towards the
sea and ending in a tubular length of cord netting. Members were told
that as the tide fell flat-fish were trapped in the nets and at times large
numbers of jelly-fish are left behind by the tide, but on this occasion
nothing was to be seen in the nets. As the leisurely walk went on
investigation of the little pools around the marking-posts resulted in the
capture of a number of specimens and various species of worms and
molluscs were collected by digging under the worm-casts and funnelled
holes in the sand.
As Fisherman's Head was approached another keddle was seen in the
distance and the scattered members of the walking party were met by