xl Journal of Proceedinr/s. 



English leave, he had gone after him, and found that he had a box in his 

 pocket — Mr. English was never without a box — (laughter) — and he had it 

 there. It contained — preserved by Mr. English's wonderful method — a 

 si3ecimen of the Bird's-nest Orchis {Neottia nidus-ains) from Epping 

 Forest, and some plants of the Water Crowfoot, concerning which Mr. 

 English communicated the following note : — 



" I have a little incident to bring before you, relating to a condition or 

 adaptation of plant-Hfe. The fact has in all probability been observed 

 before, although not generally known, but may be of interest to the young 

 botanist. 



" The usual habitat of the Water-Crowfoot {Ranunculus aquatilis) is, 

 as its name implies, in pools of water, where its moss-like foliage grows 

 submerged during the greater part of the year. In the spring it grows up 

 to the surface of the water, produces its lobed floating leaves, white 

 flowers, and perfects its head or fruit of beaked achenes. This is the 

 normal condition of the plant. But in a diy season, such as we have 

 just passed through, the pools of water often partially dry up, depriving 

 the crowfoots of the necessary conditions for the development of their 

 secondary lobed floating leaves. Under these circumstances, however, 

 the plants frequently produce flowers and fruit springing direct from the 

 moss-like submerged foliage, an incident which never happens when the 

 Batrachian Ranunculi are growing in theii' usual stations surrounded by 

 water. When hea'v^ rains occur, the specimens begin to thi'ow up their 

 lobed Jeaves, and rapidly assume the normal characters of the species. 

 I exliibit specimens showing the variations above described." 



The President said he was sure they would welcome short notes like 

 that of Mr. EngHsh's with great pleasure, especially when accompanied, 

 as that was, with specimens of the objects described. The abnormal 

 condition pointed out apjDeared to be of considerable interest. He then 

 asked the Club to record its thanks to Mr. Fisher Unwin for the very able 

 paper read that afternoon. 



IMi". Unwin, in acknowledging the hearty vote of thanks accorded, said 

 it had been a pleasure to him to write the paper at the request of their 

 Secretary. He thought that a society which had its head-quarters in the 

 parish of Chigwell, and was visiting the village of ChigweU, ought to 

 have the history of the place told. He regretted that he had so short a 

 time, that it was necessarily a meagre epitome. He trusted that the 

 members would look it up for themselves, for there was a great deal yet 

 to be told, and he would be glad to have information sent to him. He 

 thought the history of Buckhurst Hill might be worked at with ad- 

 vantage. 



Mr. Fletcher, President of the Ottawa (Canada) Field Club, thanked the 

 Club for the welcome which it had extended to himself during his stay in 

 the old country, and the President having appropriately replied, the 

 proceedings of a very pleasant meeting — despite the dulness of the 

 weather — came to an end. 



