Journal of Proceedings. xxi
for a county like Essex to be without its Field Club. The time had
come to show that they were not all bicycle mad; that other things
were worthy of attention besides boating and cricket, excellent as
these were in their way ; and they would offer their protest against
the neglect of Nature in these days. They should not stop at that
however: they should make their enthusiasm contagious, and seek
always to impart the virus to their friends. For himself he could say
that he always strove to prove a source of contagion to others.
(Laughter.) Mr. Walker made an earnest protest against the wilful
destruction of rare plants and animals. He was glad to see that the
Rules of the Club emphasized that protest. They felt that the protest
was necessary, but they also felt that they had sufficient moral sense
to know how to deal with the subject. With respect to their field of
study, they had a comparatively unworked ground in almost all
branches of Natural History, and in Geology especially. He instanced
the Glacial Moraine which had been recently discovered not far from
Epping, with its shells and fossils transported from Lancashire and
Yorkshire, and which was an example of the kind of work waiting to
be done in the Geology of Essex. In the course of his very interesting
address, Mr. Walker also pointed out the benefits to be derived from
companionship with men who have made a special study of some one
branch of natural science; they must remember that books were
always far behind field work, and the great value of the social meetings
of Clubs and Societies was that they brought the true student and
the learner face to face.
Mr. Martin Burgess, President of the New Cross Society, returned
thanks for the cordial welcome accorded to the members of his
Society. They had that afternoon seen some of the beauties of Essex,
and he hoped it would not be the last occasion on which the two
Societies might be able to co-operate in so pleasant and profitable a
way.
The company then rambled about Epping until the time of de-
parture by the 8.33 train. This, the third Field Meeting of the Club,
was in all respects a successful one.
Saturday, June 26th.—Ordinary Meeting.
The Monthly Meeting was held at the Head-quarters, at seven
o'clock, the President in the chair. The following were elected
members of the Club :— Rev. F. A. Walker, B.D., F.L.S., &c, Professor
G. S. Boulger, F.L.S., F.G.S., Messrs. W. H. Wright, Ernest Thompson,
John Waller, T. Travis, and Wm. Bodie. The names of eight new
candidates for election at the next meeting were read.