xviii Journal of Proceedings.
both peculiar to large Beech woods. The pond-hunters were busy with
rod and bottle fishing up examples of aquatic life from pools and
streams. We have no reports of the catches in some cases, but Dr.
Cooke has furnished us with the following list of species he met with
during the afternoon :—
ALGAE. DESMIDS.
Zygnema cruciatum (Ag.) Hyalotheca dissiliens
Zygnema stagnalis Closterium Dianae
Spirogyra tenuissima (not Closterium Leibleinii
common) Closterium rostratum
Spirogyra turpis Closterium gracile (rare)
Cladophora fracta Spirotaenia condensata
diatoms. Cosmarium cucumis
Cocconema lanceolatum Cosmarium botrytis
Epithemia turgida Staurastrum muricatum
Pinnularia viridis
He states, however, that he found very little animal life in the col-
lection, except:—
PROTOZOA. ROTIFERS.
Amaeba guttula . Rotifer vulgaris
Actinophrys sol Metopidia acuminata
(Dr. Cooke adds, "There may be one or two additions to this list,
as there are a few specimens which I have not had time to examine
sufficiently to fix the names with any certainty.")
About five o'clock the whistle was sounded, and the members found
their way in groups to the Wake Arms, where a well-served and sub-
stantial tea awaited them. Then, making for the train, the forest road
towards Theydon was taken, a halt being made in the woods to listen
to the genial conductor, Dr. Cooke, as he discoursed on the wonders
of the water, the curious Algae, Diatoms, Desmids, Rotifers, &c, which
a little searching would reveal in the ditches, pools, and swamps of
Epping Forest. The rain came down 'during the Doctor's address,
and he made some humorous allusions to the vanity of human wishes
as exemplified by the afternoon's proceedings. But he said he had
very great faith in Epping Forest as being perhaps the best spot for
the naturalist within forty miles of London. As an instance, he men-
tioned that, on the previous Saturday afternoon, he had found at
Snaresbrook three species of Algae hitherto unknown in Britain—
namely,
Hydrianum heteromorphum (Reinsch)
Sphaerozosma secedens (De Bary)
Closterium linea (Perty).
This result showed that the persevering hunter might still find worlds
to conquer in our own districts.