REPORTS OF MEETINGS 141
on the same spot. This seeded but not until this summer (1957) has a plant
appeared again. Other members agreed that this sporadic appearance was
typical of the species and appeared to indicate that the seed often remained
dormant in the soil for several years.
Mr. Masefield showed photographs of Bedemans Berg, a fragment of a
medieval hermitage in the High Woods near Writtle. He presented copies
to the Passmore Edwards Museum Photographic Survey of Essex.
Mr. Pettifer showed specimens of the moss Orthodontium lineare (syn.
O. gracile var. heterocarpum) from Epping Forest and the fungus Peziza
aurantia.
Mr. Richard Ward showed photographs of young hedgehogs, a nest of
which had been found on the Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks. During work on
the heap of bog-ore in which the nest was made the young were found several
times, having apparently been moved by the parent as a result of the
disturbance.
Mr. Bernard Ward gave an account of some of the plants found this
summer by him on waste ground along the River Lea and its branches in
West Ham. He illustrated his account with photographic slides of some of the
plants and showed a list of 166 species composed of those recorded by Miss
Lister in 1936 and those recorded by him recently. A number of additions to
Miss Lister's list have already been made and it is his intention to continue
his observations next year.
The meeting closed at 4.30 p.m. and members went down to tea.
Ordinary Meeting (1014th Meeting)
SATURDAY, 30 NOVEMBER, 1957
This meeting was held at the West Ham College of Technology. There
was an attendance of thirty-three and the chair was taken by the President,
Mr. E. E. Syms.
The following were elected to membership of the Club:—
Mr. R. K. H. Jones, of King Edward VI School, Chelmsford.
Mr. A. G. Smithers, of 111, Porters Avenue, Dagenham.
Mr. W. G. Voss, B.Sc., of Queen Mary College, London, E.3.
Mr. Bignell Pratt related that on October 15th last Mrs. Pratt and
Miss Cunningham had seen in Epping Forest two Fallow Deer bucks fighting.
The animals were so engrossed in the contest that they took no notice of
the ladies, who approached as closely as seemed wise and watched for several
minutes as the beasts thrust head to head, then separated and charged to
renew the contest again and again.
Mrs. E. C. Pratt sent for exhibition two of her paintings in oils of
Forest scenes in autumn tints. In one were shown the two Fallow bucks as
they were seen in the fight described.
The President exhibited a living female and young spiders of the species
Pholcus phalangioides Fuesslin, a small house spider found in the southern
half of England. He also showed three photographic lantern slides, one
(Sept. 24th) of the female carrying the egg capsule in her mouth, one (Sept.
29th), of the baby spiders free of the capsule and one of the mature female
spider.