Journal of Proceedings.
lxv
After the researches of the afternoon, the large party returned to
Loughton, where tea was served at the " Crown " Hotel. The specimens
collected during the day were arranged in one of the rooms of the inn,
and were named by Dr. Cooke, Mr. Smith, and the other experts.
The evening meeting commenced with a recital by Dr. Cooke and Dr.
Spurrell of some of the mycological observations of the day, which have
been embodied in the preceding account. Mr. Holmes alluded to the
rediscovery of " Forster's Moss," already recorded.
The Rev. J. M. Crombie, as recorder of the Lichenes, remarked that he
had found Monk Wood very destitute of lichen-life. Hornbeam and
Beech were by no means favourable to the development of lichens. Some
years ago, in arranging the lichens in the herbarium of the British
Museum, he had come upon the collection made by Edward Forster, and
it was quite evident that forty-five years ago Epping Forest was remark-
ably rich in lichens. His (Mr. Crombie's) own list, made twelve or
fourteen years ago, comprehended some sixty species and varieties, and
the collection made by Forster certainly amounted to three hundred
varieties and species. There was, therefore, no doubt that a very con-
siderable change had taken place.*
Mr. E. M. Holmes then read the following paper, which was illus-
trated by some admirable coloured diagrams specially prepared for the
occasion by Mrs. Holmes, and by a large number of specimens and
preparations:—
Notes on the Study or Marine Algae.
"That a Natural-History Society should embrace all branches of
botanical science among its subjects for investigation, and that therefore
Marine Alga) should not be neglected, must be my apology for bringing
such a subject before an inland meeting. Marine Alga) have probably
received less attention from British botanists during the last thirty years
than any other class of plants, but if one may judge from the number of
interesting and important discoveries that have been made on the Continent
concerning their modes of growth and fructification during the same period,
no class of plants would better repay careful investigation. Although the
old classification of Marine Algae into Green-, Bed-, and Brown-spored Alga)
is known to be incorrect and unsatisfactory, the present state of our know-
ledge of the development of many species is too incomplete to permit of
a new one being devised. Such knowledge can only be obtained by
residence near the sea, and this is possible only to a few.
" Those members of the Essex Field Club who have the opportunity of
occasionally' visiting the shore may render good service to British
algology by collecting and recording the species to be met with on the
coast of Essex. The British marine flora is by no means exhausted, for
although about thirty † new species have been detected during the last
two years, chiefly in Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and Fifeshire, there are
still many continental species occurring on the French and Norwegian
coasts which are almost sure to be detected on the British shores if
* Mr. Crombie has given the results of his observations on the past and present con-
dition of the Lichen-Flora of Epping Forest in a paper read before the Club on April 28th,
1883, which will appear in a future part of the ' Transactions.'
† This number has now (June, 18S3) increased to sixty.
e