Journal of Proceedings. xix
The President, in seconding this, took occasion to express a hope that
the Conservators would not pursue a line of action which would remind
one of that attributed by Dr. Woodward to the beavers. He assured the
lecturer that, as far as the Essex Field Club had any influence with
respect to the management of Epping Forest, every effort would be made
to urge upon the Conservators the necessity of keeping the woodland in
its natural condition. Mr. Meldola, in conclusion, stated that the
magnificent collection of Essex fossils which they had on a former occa-
sion inspected in the galleries of that Museum under the guidance of
Professor Owen, bore witness to the richness of the river-drift deposits in
their own neighbourhood, and were lasting monuments of the zeal and
energy of their late respected member, Sir Antonio Brady. It was by no
means to be supposed that work on the Essex shore of the Thames had
been exhausted ; much as Sir Antonio had done, this was to be regarded
as but an incentive to further effort, and no Society was in a better position
to extend these investigations than their own Club.
The vote of thanks was passed by acclamation, and Dr. Woodward
afterwards conducted the party through the Palaeontological Galleries,
and practically demonstrated many of the more remarkable forms alluded
to in his lecture.
Saturday, May 20th, 1882.—Ordinary Meeting.
The twenty-eighth Ordinary Meeting was held at the head-quarters at
seven o'clock, the President in the chair.
Contributions to the library (exclusive of " exchanges " with various
societies) were announced from Mr. E. M. Christy and Mr. Andrew John-
ston (2 vols.), and thanks voted to the donors.
The following were elected members of the Club :— Messrs. A. E.
Balleine, G. P. Hope, H. R. Leach, Herbert Livermore, and W. H. Wright.
Mr. R. M. Christy sent for exhibition and presentation to the Museum
the nest of a bee found inside that of a bird, probably a chaffinch. It
was found about the end of July, 1878, by his brother, lying in a meadow
close to the house. " The bee had worked up the hair and feathers form-
ing the lining level with the top of the nest, and had then bored three
holes down into it, at the bottom of one of which several larvae or pupae
were noticed." *
* The insect which formed the nest was probably Bombus pratorum, L., generally a
common species, the nests being frequently found in hay-fields, on mossy banks, and
under furze bushes. It is one of the humble-bees commonly called " moss-builders " or
" carder-bees," from the notion that they card or comb the moss which they use in the
construction of their nests. The late Mr. Fredk. Smith gave, in his ' Catalogue of
British Hymenoptera ' (Part i., 2nd Edition, 1876), the following interesting particulars
of their habits, which we quote as illustrating Mr. Christy's exhibit:—" Several instances
have come to my knowledge of the sagacity of these insects in making use of the nests
of birds, and of their adapting them to their own requirements.....Dr. Bell