Natural History iri the English Counties. 385 



From the report of the Committee, we find that the library contains 

 upwards of 600 volumes, 200 of which have been purchased by direction of 

 the Committee, at the expense of 96/. These include several standard and 

 voluminous works, indispensable to a public library. The remainder of the 

 library is composed of volumes presented by proprietors, annual subscribers, 

 and friends to the Institution ; and amongst them there are many works 

 adorning English literature, which could not have been expected thus early 

 upon the shelves without the assistance of those proprietors, who have 

 taken so effectual a method of demonstrating their anxiety for the pros- 

 perity of the Institution. In addition to the above works, the reading-room 

 has been regularly supplied with all the most useful reviews and magazines. 

 The museum contains upwards of 2000 specimens of natural history, &c., 

 many of them of great rarity and value. 



Upon the general affairs and future prospects of the Institution, the Com- 

 mittee caii speak with great pleasure; and " they cannot close their labours 

 without a cordial expression of their gratification at the success which has 

 thus far attended the Institution. They have a confident hope that, by the 

 collective and individual exertion of the proprietors, and by unanimity 

 amongst those to whom the direction of the affairs is intrusted, every 

 prospect that was, in the first instance, contemplated, will be fully and 

 speedily realised." — t 



Essex. 



"Plants collected hy the Rev. S. Palmer of Chigivell, Essex. The rather 

 uncommon marked with a star (*), the more rare with a cross (f ). — 

 filfelampyram cristatum : this rare plant was gathered in a wood between 

 Linton and Saffion Walden. * Jliymus iVepeta, near Audley End. Vero- 

 nica scutellata, officinalis, spicata, Epping Forest, near Thoydon. Lycopus 

 europae^us, common in ditches in the neighbourhood of Chigwell. Bidens 

 tripartita and c^rnua, common in ditches in the neighbourhood of Chig- 

 well. ^upat6rm?M cannabinum, common in ditches in the neighbourhood 

 of Chigwell. fAspidium Thelypteris, i^ilix Mas, aculeatum, and loba- 

 tum, common in ditches in the neighbourhood of Chigwell. Picris echid- 

 ides and /^ieracioides, common in ditches in the neighbourhood of Chig- 

 well. iysimachia nemorum, Hainault Forest, near Chigwell Row. *rer- 

 bascum ^lattaria, Epping Forest, near Loughton. f Tormentilla reptans, 

 hedges, Mr. Palmer's, Chigwell. *^ntirrhinum -Elatine, common in ditches 

 in the neighbourhood of Chigwell. fThlaspi arv^nsis, on a dunghill in the 

 lane leading to Hainault Forest from Abridge. tBartsi« alpina, Epping 

 Forest, near Thoydon. iZypericum f^ndrosae'mum, *pulchrum, humifusum, 

 and other plants of the same family, Hainault Forest. Terbena officinalis, 

 Loughton Hall, f Tbrdylium officinale, in a field by the lane leading from 

 Thoydon to Loughton. Astragalus hypoglottis, Forest, near Woodford 

 Bridge. 



It is evident, from the above list, that a more promising field than this 

 neighbourhood, for botanical researches, will not be found in the vicinity of 

 London. I did not commence my search till after the middle of Septem- 

 ber, before which time many flowers had disappeared ; but, from what has 

 been accomplished, an estimate may be formed of what remains to be done 

 when the proper season arrives. 



These forests, with the neighbouring country, afford great diversity of 

 soil, and endless variety of shade, exposure, and surface. Numerous marsh 

 and aquatic plants grow about the rivers Lea and Rodon ; besides, there 

 are many purling streams, in various parts of the forest, whose deep mar- 

 gins and turfy banks will amply gratify, with their modest beauties, the 

 most enthusiastic admirer of flowers and sylvan scenery. — S. P. Sept. 

 1828. 



