50 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 



Mr. C. Oldham exhibited a box of Forest lepidoptera, including Eittlicmonia 

 russula^ and Zygcena fillif>enduhv from Theydon Bois. 



Mr. Crouch referred to observations he had made on the sun-spots which had 

 been so prevalent during the last few weeks, and Prof. Meldola remarked how 

 readily observations on sun-spots could be made by using the telescope for pro- 

 jecting the image of the sun on a screen. Sketches could easily thus be traced. 



A paper was read " On the occurrence of Crepidula fornicafa, Linn., off the 

 Coast of Ess?x," by Mr. Crouch (see p. 36) who exhibited specimens of the Cre- 

 pidula in illustration of his remarks. 



Mr. George Day, F.R.M.S., then read a paper on " Some Essex Folk Lore," 

 an abstract of which will be' printed in THE EssE.x Naturalist. 



The Chairman thought that the members would welcome Mr. Day's paper on 

 a subject of very considerable interest in connection with beliefs and fancies 

 current in early stages of civilisation, and one which even possessed a distinct 

 scientific value in itself. A long discussion on various points in the paper was 

 carried on by the Chairman, Prof. Boulger, Mr. F. C. Gould, Mr. Wire, Rev. W. 

 C. Howell, Mr. Varley, Mr. Day, and others. 



During the discussion Mr. Crouch exhibited, on behalf of Mr. G. E. Pritchett, 

 F.S. A., who had to leave early, a forked hazel branch which had lately been used as a 

 " divining rod " for finding water, and demonstrated the manner in which it had 

 been held by the " water finder," Mr. W. Stone, for the purpose. Mr. Pritchett 

 was present when it was employed in January last at Thremhall Prior}-, Takeley 

 Street, near Bishop's Stortford, the present residence of Mrs. Archer Houblon. A 

 spring of water was subsequently found at the spot where the rod had bent down, 

 whilst tightly held in the hands of Mr. Stone, who claims thereby to have dis- 

 covered the exact place. On the second occasion, when the " divining rod " was 

 used by Mr. Stone at Uphall, near Braughing, Herts, last February, Mr. 

 Pritchett was not present. It was held firmly, and when the right spot as sup- 

 posed was traversed, the " rod " was drawn down, causing one branch of tlie 

 fork to split. The ground selected was afterwards dug for fifty-five feet, but no 

 water has been found and further search for water at that spot has been ab.m- 

 doned for the present. 



A vote of thanks to Mr. Crouch and Mr. Da}' for their papers concluded the 

 business of the meetiii"-. 



The 14TH Annual General Meeting and 146TH Ordlnarv Meetlng. 

 Saturday, March 31st, 1894. 



The I4lh Annual General Meeting of the Club was held in the Buckhurst 

 Hill Hall, Buckhurst Hill, at six o'clock, the President, Mr. F. Chancellor, in the 

 chair. 



Desiring, if possible, to catch an early train back to Chelmsford (in which 

 endeavour he was, unfortunately, not successful), Mr. Chancellor, by consent of 

 the meeting, read his Address before the commencement of the formal business. 

 The subje:t was "A Sketch of the Development of Architecture in Essex," which 

 was illustrated by a large number of wall-diagrams, specially drawn for the 

 occasion by Mr. Wykeham Chancellor. The address will be printed in full in 

 The Essex Naturalist. 



At the commencement of the formal business, the Secretary read the minutes 



