THE ESSEX FIELD CLUli. 13I 



Mr. C. B. Sworder exhibited a sni:ill collection of Mollusca from the 

 neighbourhood of Epping. 



Some photographs were then thrown upon the screen by Mr. Wire, consisting 

 principally of views taken by himself during the last year's field meetings, views 

 of the Higham Park from drawings by Mr. H. A. Cole, and some copies of old 

 prints of Essex localities, &c. 



The President then called upon Mr. Walter Crouch, F.Z.S., to speak on the 

 main exhibits of the evening, consisting of a goodly number of specimens from 

 his collection, which he had selected in illustration of the characteristic species 

 of a few important groups of invertebrate life, and showing as far as possible the 

 Foreign, British and fossil forms. The shells of the Mollusca were arranged in 

 seven large cases, with larger specimens and fossils on the tables ; and to aid in 

 the demonstration, a series of diagrams, painted by himself, were hung on the 

 walls. 



The five classes into which the Mollusca are now divided were then hastily 

 reviewed. 



The varied forms of Cephalopoda, including the Pearly Nautilus with its fossil 

 allies the Ammonites — the Cuttle Fish, Squids — one of which, the common 

 Loljgo, was shown in spirit — and fossil Belemnites, &c. — the Octopus, and the 

 Argonaut with the delicate fragile " shell " secreted by the female, which is but a 

 " cradle " for the protection of the young fry, were duly noted. The largest of 

 this group, of which a diagram was shown, is the Arc/iiteiit/iis, which has often 

 been known to measure sixty feet from end of the body to tip of the long 

 grasping arms. 



The small glassy shells of the Pteropoda or " butterflies of the sea," were then 

 described — those "winged" forms floating always on or just below the surface of 

 the ocean. The northern species — some of which are shell-less — provide food for 

 the huge Greenland Whale. One of the larger species, a fine specimen over 

 2\ inches in length {Cymbtdia peronii ixova. the Mediterranean Sea, a form which 

 has no shell), was exhibited, well preserved in spirit. Many of this class exhibit 

 phosphorescence at night. 



Then the small division of Scaphopoda, mud and sand dwellers, of which the 

 little ''elephant's tusk" shell, so commonly cast up on the British coast, is a 

 well-known example. 



The extensive class of Gastropoda next claimed attention, from the small 

 land shells and slugs to the large and brightly-coloured tropical marine species ; 

 and the growth of the shell from the " capsule," in which the eggs are laid, up to 

 the fully grown shell of nearly two feet in length, was shown by specimens of a 

 large Fusus prohoscidiferus from Dampier's Archipelago. 



Special notice was called to the wonderful variety, in shape, colour, and 

 beautiful patterns, which exists, especially in tropical shells. The spin}' shells of 

 Murex, the brilliant colouring of Vo/utrs, Cones, Mitras, &c., the enamel of 

 Cowries, Olives, and Poached-egg shells, the curious " keyhole " limpets, the 

 shells used for cameo cutting, the frail glassy shell of Carinaria, and such aberrent 

 forms as Chiton, &c. 



A large Iriton variegalus was shown, and the mode in which it had been used 

 as a trumpet by some dusky native of the Eastern Archipelago to strike terror 

 into the hearts of his enemies ; and also a drawing of the same shell with a finely 

 carved Maori mouthpiece, now in the Chelmsford Museum. 



The last class, Pelecypoda, was then described, the shells of wiiich consist of 

 two valves united by a ligament, and generally having a number of inter-locking 



