MEETINGS DURING 1960
343
I give the writer full credit for having completely dispelled any
romantic notions associated with poaching, but he leaves one horrified
at the cruel practices carried out on wild caught cage birds before
the much needed Wild Birds Protection Act.
My interest was held only due to the fact that I was able to make
comparisons with the accepted way of life in the so-called "good old
days" and emerge refreshed to know that the accent is now on protec-
tion and not destruction.
This is certainly not a book for the squeamish or the bird lover, and
contains little scientific information.
H. McSweeney.
Observations and Experiments in Natural History. By Alan Dale.
Published by Wm. Heinemann Ltd. 1960. 154 pages, 8 plates.
Price 10/6.
This well-named little book has perhaps a tendency towards over much
observation but some of the experiments are quite unusual and well
worth carrying out both in the field and in ''home laboratories". The
work described is divided into five sections, Invertebrate Animals
(excluding Insects), Insects, Vertebrate Animals, Lower Plants and
Higher Plants.
The photographs suffer from too great reduction but the fact that
there are such in a publication of this price is surprising. Perhaps a
future edition may give more references for following up some of the
truly fascinating experiments outlined in this worthwhile book.
W. M. Young.
Meetings of the Club during 1960
(*denotes Field Meeting)
1960
*January 16 River Stour, Wrabness (wildfowl and waders).
Leader: H. McSweeney.
January 23 "The Glaciation of Essex". By Dr. K. M. Clayton.
Mid-Essex Technical College, Chelmsford.
February 11 "The Badger in Essex". By David Scott. "The
Badger". By Geoffrey Kinns. Brentwood School.
February 20 "Henry Doubleday, the Epping Naturalist". By R.
H. Mays. West Ham College of Technology.
February 25 Botanical Group Inaugural Meeting. Passmore
Edwards Museum.
March 10 ''Warblers, Wagtails and Waxwings". By John W.
Carr. Passmore Edwards Museum.
*March 20 Skippers Island Survey (marine biology). Leader-.
Dr. R. Hi. Nisbet..
March 26 Presidential Address by E. F. Williams and Annual
General Meeting. West Ham College of Technology.
*April 9 Epping Forest Survey (Baldwins Pond area—birds and
pond life). Leader: A. C. Wheeler.