70 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 



though only twenty-three 3'ears of age, gave promise of becoming an exception- 

 ally close observer and a good ornithologist. Before leaving England he 

 deposited a volume containing a summary of his observations on the birds of the 

 Orsett district up to the summer of 1891 with Mr. Miller Christy, who will make 

 use of it when preparing the first supplement to his " Birds of Essex." — Ed. 



Old Loughton Hall — Erratum. — In my artich on Old Loughton Hall (p. 

 19, supra) there is, as Mr. Maitland kindl}' points out to me, an error, which I 

 hasten to correct. It was not Mr. W, W. Maitland, but his father, Mr. John 

 Maitland, who succeeded to the property in 1825, on the death of Miss Whitaker. 

 This mistake will also involve a corrigetidum on page 20, where (line 6) the 

 "home of his widow" should read "the home of his son's widow." — W. C. 

 Waller. 



THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 



Annual Report of the Council for the Year Ended 

 December 31ST, 1892. 



[Read and adopted at the Annual Meetino; held at Chelmsford on April rsth, iSgj.] 



The main official business of the Council during at least the latter half of last 

 year was concerned with the negotiations for the amalgamation of the Essex and 

 Chelmsford Museum with the Club, and the final arrangements not having been 

 completed within that year, it is deemed best to present on this occasion only a 

 summarised report, with the view of placing full details of the present position 

 and prospects of the Club on record in the form of a statement in THE ESSEX 

 Naturalist and in the next Annual Report. 



After very careful consideration of the circumstances of the case, the Council 

 and the Committee of the Essex and Chelmsford Museum came to the conclusion 

 that they would best serve the interests of the Club by carrying out the amalga- 

 mation at once, under the powers conferred by the agreement, without waiting 

 for attainment of the sum necessary to commence the proposed building of the 

 Museum. They were of opinion that work should be commenced as soon as 

 possible in the old Museum at Chelmsford pending the erection of new build- 

 ings. They considered that the interest of the members and the public in the 

 scheme would be greatly enhanced by making a beginning in thi Museum, and 

 that the work of preparing and arranging the specimens already in the possession 

 of the two Societies, and those which will be presented, could be as well carried on 

 in the old as in a new building. It was therefore agreed to effect the amalgama- 

 tion, and that a certain proportion of the funds already promised should be called 

 in and spent in the purchase of suitable cabinets and cases, so that such speci- 

 mens might be properly displayed. 



In accordance with these resolutions, the amalgamation has now been 

 arranged, needing only some legal formalities to be completed. It is hoped 

 that these will be in order by the annual meeting, and when finally settled ihe 

 deed of amalgamation and other particulars will, as above mentioned, be printed 



