Journal of Proceedings. Ixi 



Quarter Sessions, to make an order extending or varying the close 

 time. No doubt those sportsmen and naturahsts who resided in 

 Essex would be the best judges of the period which would be most 

 suitable in their own county ; and from what he knew of Col. Russell's 

 capabilities and long experience in matters relating to wild-fowl, he 

 felt sure that his proposed application to vary the close time would not 

 be made without good reason. 



The President was sure the Club was much obliged to Mr. Harting 

 for his remarks ; few naturalists had a better right to speak with 

 authority on the subject, and he proposed that the Secretary be 

 requested to write to Col. Russell with reference to this matter. 



The Secretary thought that the great thing to be agitated for was a 

 close time for all birds without exception. At present the Act was 

 almost nugatory ; it was simply impossible in most cases to prove 

 legally that a Hedge-popper or Bird-catcher was trapping or murder- 

 ing any particular species, and so a beneficent Act had become almost 

 a dead-letter in the law, 



Mr. English exhibited a large number of species of Fungi, both in a 

 fresh and preserved state, belonging to the Agaricini and Polyporei ior 

 the purpose of illustrating some remarks he had drawn up on the 

 connecting links which united these two orders of the family Hymeno- 

 mycetes. Among the species exhibited were Polyportis fomentarms, from 

 which Amadou or German tinder is made, the fungus being cut into 

 slices, dried and beaten until soft ; Poly poms lucidns from Hornbeam, 

 interesting as being a cosmopolitan species, and Lenzites betulina from 

 Birch stumps. Mr. English exhibited also a specimen of Osmylus 

 chrysops. L., a pretty insect belonging to the Hcnicrohidcd, which had 

 flown into his shop in August last. It is generally found amongst 

 hedges, seeming to prefer stony rapid streams fringed with alders. 

 Mr. Cole had taken it in New Forest, but had not observed it at 

 Epping. 



Mr. Argent exhibited, on behalf of Master G. Watkins, a specimen of 

 Vanessa antiopa (the " Camberwell-beauty " butterfly), taken near Ilford 

 during the last week in August. 



Mr. W. C. Barnes exhibited some pieces of a felt-like substance 

 which had been found closely covering some hot-water pipes in his 

 house. It had every appearance of being the work of spiders. 



The Secretary presented, on behalf of Sir J. Clarke Jervoise, Bart., 

 a collection oi Mosses and Lichens made by Richard Warner (1711- 

 1775), author of" Plantfe Woodfordienses." He thought that the Club 

 was much indebted to Sir J. C. Jervoise for another copy of the above- 

 named work, and also for his kind present of the Herbarium. 

 Although the latter was perhaps of no great scientific value, it was 

 extremely interesting as a memento of an Essex worthy — a quiet 

 " ingenious" country gentleman, who, at a time when botanical studies 



