rilK IlSSKX I'IKl.l) tl.LH. 39 



Nai UKAI.I^i'r, bill ihc Couiu-il Uikcslhis opiHirlunity oi ;ukiunv!c(.igin^ the j^real 

 assistance received at the Field Meetin<js from the following : — 



Rev. C. L. Acland, Mr. G. V. Beaumont, Mr. G. II. Hirch, Mr. j. liritlcn, Mr. 

 C. Browne, Mr. VV. Carruthers, Messrs. Christy, Son and Norris, Mr. R. T. Cobbold, 

 Dr. M. C. Cooke, Mr. Walttr Crouch, Mr. W. II. Ualton, Mr. E. A. Fitch, Mr. 

 G. W. Hewiison, Mr. E. M. Holmes, Mr. T. V. Holmes, Rev. H. J. Kenworthy, 

 Dr. H. Laver, Mr. G. Massee, Prof. Meldula, Col. \V. H. Noble, Mr. J. N. 

 Paxman, Mr. G. E. Pritchelt, Lord Rayleigh, Mr. J. C. Shenstone, Dr. J. K. 

 Taylor, Prof. Silvanus Thompson, Mr. W. Whitaker, and others. 



The Field Meeting Committee was not re-appointed last season, and the 

 Secretaries do not propose to ask for its renewal, at any rate for the present. The 

 business at the Field Meetings is often so closely interwoven with the ordinary 

 routine of the Club, and with the preparation of the circulars and editing of the 

 journal, that anything like a dual control was not found to work well. The 

 better plan appears to be for the Conductors at each meeting to work with the 

 Secretaries in arranging the details of such meeting. Tiiis was the method 

 pursued last season, and its success was most encourjging. In this connection 

 the Secretaries have to thank Mr. Walter Crouch, Mr. Shenstone, Mr. Beaumont 

 Mr. Pritchett, Dr. Laver, and Mr. W. H. Dalton, for most useful assistance. 



The second volume of the Club's " Special Memoirs " under the arrangement 

 with the author alluded to in last year's report was published early in the year. 

 The book has been reviewed most favourably by the press, and it is likely to be 

 exceedingly useful to ornithologists, both local and general The Council has to 

 thank Mr. A. P. Wire for the great care taken by him as publisher of the book on 

 behalf of the Club. 



The Library has steadily increased, but the large arrears of books needing 

 binding still remains a serious difficult}'. A considerable number of local books 

 and pamphlets have been purchased, but the much-needed sels of standard works 

 on Natural Science are still among the things hoped for. Pending the proposed 

 amalgamation of the Libraries of the Essex Field Club and the Chelmsford 

 Museum,- it is still a moot point whether the catalogue should be printed yet. 



The Editor has almost completed the preparation of the MS. of Pt. 2, vol. iv. of 

 the old " Proceedings," and a plan for its publication will be shortly brought forward. 



Four parts of the Essex Naturalist have been published within the year, 

 comprising 282 pages, many of small type. The last part of vol. iv. is now being 

 printed, and the Editor then proposes to issue a part comprising the numbers for 

 January-April, 1891, after which the tnonthly issue ■will be resumed as an experi- 

 ment until the end of the year. The Council and Editor are persuaded that this 

 step will much increase the interest and usefulness of the NATURALIST, but the 

 permanent continuance of a monthly publication must necessarily depend upon 

 the amount of support (in subscriptions and in literary and scientific aid) accorded 

 to the Council and Editor in their efforts for the benefit of the Club. 



A considerable amount of attention has been given by the Council to schemes 

 for the compilation of a " Bibliography" of Flssex, a work much needed. When 

 the plans are matured, an announcement on the subject will be made to the 

 members and the public. 



The coming year will, in all probability, bean eventful own in the history of 

 the Club. A great amount of labour has been bestowed on the preparation and 

 carrying on of the schemes for enlarging its sphere of work. But the Council is 

 nonfident that the time and labour will be well spent if llic result is the cM;iMi-ii- 

 menl of the Club on a firm basis a- a iouiii\- iii.~iituiiiiii. 



