16
Lichens
J. Skinner,
Southend Central Museum,
Victoria Avenue,
Southend-on-Sea,
Essex.
One of the main objectives of the Club is to
find out what is living in Essex and where.
You could well find something unusual. A
brief search around my home streets revealed
fourteen species of lichens. One of these
was a form of Stereocaulon vesuvianum, which
is apparently widespread but is as yet rarely
recorded. Another was a specimen of Physcia
dubia in fruit. A fruiting specimen of this
lichen had not yet been recorded in Essex.
On another occasion I found an uncommon liver-
wort growing between the paving stones which
turned out to be Marchantia alpestris.
So next time you go for a walk around your
home streets, take a pen knife or a wallpaper
scraper to carefully remove your specimens
and a supply of paper envelopes which can be
made simply by folding a piece of paper.
Don't forget a grid reference is needed for
the records to be used. Good hunting! You
could find a species new to Essex.
TONY BONIFACE
A TALE OF SUMMER
One chilly evening, towards the end of March,
the Watchers saw a female Marsh Harrier glide