lxxviii Journal of Proceedings.
Mr. N. F. Robarts exhibited a sprig of the Common Butcher's-broom
(Ruscus aculeatus) in fruit, from Monk's Wood, Epping Forest. The
President and Mr. Letchford made some remarks upon the botanical
and microscopical characters of the shrub, interesting as being the only
woody monocotyledon in Britain.
Mr. Robarts also said he had been informed that some Deer had
been turned into the forest, and wished to ask whether anything was
known of this introduction.
Mr. Cole said that he understood Mr. Harting had caught six head of
Roe Deer in Dorsetshire, and that they had been turned into the forest.
These were the animals alluded to by Mr. Robarts in all probability.*
Mr. Robarts also reported (alluding to statements made at the
meeting on December 15th last) that Teal (Querquedula crecca, L.), as
well as Wild Ducks, had been noticed lately on the " Connaught Water "
in the forest.
Mr. F. W. Cory and Mr. F. W. Elliott exhibited some fossils from the
London Clay exposed during recent sewerage excavations in the Queen's
Road, Buckhurst Hill; and Mr. C. Thomas sent up a specimen of
Septarium from the same section.
Mr. Cole remarked that it was well to record the fact that the London
Clay in that district was fossiliferous. The specimens were found
17 ft. below the surface.
The Secretary exhibited, on behalf of Mr. G. P. Hope, some specimens
of Pycnogons from Harwich, which Mr. Hope thought might include a
species new to the locality.
Mr. T. V. Holmes read "Notes on the Geological Position of the
Human Skeleton lately found at Tilbury Docks, Essex" (Trans.
iv., 135).
In connection with this subject, the Secretary read a letter from
Mr. Worthington Smith, who was unable to be present. Mr. Smith
wrote:—
" I do not think that the Tilbury skeleton is of Palaeolithic age ; in
fact, I believe it is of no very great antiquity. I have not been to the
Docks to see the section, although I knew of the discovery as soon as it
was made. I have seen the skeleton itself, † and the sand in which it
was found. I was also present at the meeting of the Royal Society
when Professor Owen described the skeleton.
" Palaeolithic sands, with fossil bones and stone implements, occur
about a mile to the north of Tilbury, and with these I am well
acquainted. The Palaeolithic sand is quite different in colour from the
Tilbury sand, and the former swarms with fossil shells of land and
fresh-water molluscs. As far as I could see no such shells were present
* A full account of this introduction of Roe Deer into the forest was read by Mr.
Halting at a Field Meeting of the Club on June 21st, 1884, and this paper will be
published in due course. See also Mr. Buxton's ' Epping Forest,' 1st Ed. p. 79.—Ed.
† We understand that the skeleton has now (June, 1885) been placed in one of the
galleries of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) for inspection.—Ed.