ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1961
77
membership increased it might be necessary to raise the annual
subscription.
Other aspects of the Club's activities were more encouraging.
The publication of The Essex Naturalist for 1960 in the middle of
the year brought our journal back to publication schedule. The
varied content of scientific matter and items of more popular
interest in this issue enhanced its standing thanks to the efforts of
the Editor and the Publications Committee. The Council
acknowledged with gratitude the receipt of a substantial grant in
aid from the Royal Society's Publication Grants Committee for
publication in The Essex Naturalist of the papers by Mr. M. N.
Mistakidis on The Shrimping Industry in Essex, and by Miss P. L.
Cook on The Development of Electra crustulenta.
The Council was pleased to note the response from Members to
the offer for sale at reduced prices of back numbers of our publica-
tions. This resulted in a considerable increase in income during
the year as well as a welcome reduction of the stocks of these
publications.
Towards the end of the year the Council accepted a manu-
script on the "Clay Tobacco Pipe" by our Vice-President, Mr. L. S.
Harley, for publication as a Special Memoir. This, the Council
was confident, would prove to be welcome to our Members as well
as a valuable working tool for the archaeologist. It was fitting
to revive after so many years the publication of our Special
Memoirs with a contribution from such an eminent member of
the Club. It was hoped that this Memoir would appear during
1962.
An event of particular note during the past year was the
handing over of the Club's responsibilities in the Epping Forest
Museum at Chingford to the Corporation of London. A more
detailed note of the handing over of the Museum appears in The
Essex Naturalist. The Council warmly welcomed this move and
trusted that our Members would continue to support the Museum
under its new management by providing specimens from the
district and any help that was required.
During 1961 the Council organised a competition for young
people for essays describing field work done in Essex. The entries
in this first year were few, but this was probably due to factors
beyond our control. Nevertheless some of the entries were of a
high standard and the Council felt confident that in future this
competition would prove to be popular amongst young naturalists
in Essex. Prizes for the 1960 Competition were awarded at the
indoor meeting of February 1961 to Mr. J. T. Ward in the senior
section, and to Miss J. M. Burbridge and Miss P. Cox, jointly, in
the junior section. The Council offered its congratulations to the
prize-winners.
The field activities of the Club were maintained at their usual
high standard. During the year thirty-one informal and general
field meetings were held. These covered a wide range of subjects
in many parts of Essex, and while some attracted only a few