38
These jobs have been taken over by Dr. C. Shennan
and Mrs. P. Jermyn respectively.
By the end of the year membership had risen to
388, which includes 52 new members and 34
resignations.
At the Annual General Meeting on 27th March,
Mr. A. Boniface talked about the many aids for
identifying plants and animals, illustrated
with slides, books, different kinds of keys
and finishing with a demonstration of the use
of punched computer cards for the identification
of grasses.
During the year there were 37 meetings, of which
9 were general meetings and 28 were organised
by the Groups. Seven of these were held
indoors. Speakers included Col. A. Maitland
Emmet, talking on "History of Entomology in
Essex - Lepidoptera", Dr. A. McDiamid on
"Veterinary Experiences with Wild Animals",
Dr. A. J. E. Millwood on "Introducting Amphibia
into your Garden", Mr. T. Stowe on "Birds and
Mammals of Kenya", and Mr. D. Hunford on
"Techniques in Natural History Photography".
The outdoor meetings of the Mammal Group included
two bat-netting expeditions, a visit to the
Otter Trust in Suffolk, and a search for small
mammals in the Danbury area, during which two
harvest mice and fourteen dormice were seen.
Of the nine Bird Group meetings, a visit to
hear nightjars was of particular interest,
because the birds are rare in Essex.
Among the nine Botany Group meetings, a visit to
Sawbridgeworth Marsh and Patmore Heath produced
records of the rare grass Koeleria cristata and
the rare heath rush, Juncus squarrosus.