THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 255 



The Secretary read a letter from Lady Rookwood, thanking the Club for 

 the vote and letter of condolence upon the death of her husband, Lord 

 Rookwood, passed at the last meeting. 



The first business was the announcement of retirements from the Council, 

 and the nomination of new members of Council and Officers for election at the 

 Annual Meeting on March 22nd. 



The nominations were duly made, and the list of Councillors and Officers 

 is given in the report of the Annual Meeting, post p. 260. 



The Secretary announced that the Council were desirous of recommending 

 that the Club should elect several eminent scientific men as Honorary 

 Members at the Annual Meeting. But it had been found that to do this 

 alterations would be necessary in Rule II, and Rule XII. 



Mr. Cole therefore gave notice that at the next meeting he would move 

 such necessary alterations {see post, Meeting on March 8th). 



Mr. F. W. Elliott exhibited a portion of a quern, which had been found in 

 a garden at Buckhurst Hill, but there was no direct evidence of its true place 

 of origin. » 



Mr. Chalkley Gould said that the quern was of the kind frequently found 

 in Essex. 



The Secretary exhibited two books recently presented to the Club, viz- 

 the new edition of the Handbook of Byitish Birds by the author, Mr. J. E. 

 Harting, F.L.S. and Connold's British Vegetable Galls presented by Miss Read. 

 He also said that he had arranged for the exchange of publications and 

 information with the Fisheries Board for Scotland and the Northumberland 

 Fisheries Station. 



He also exhibited four beautiful specimens of the Bearded Tit or " Reed 

 Pheasant " as it was called in Essex, where it was once common in the 

 marshes below Barking ("reek, (Panunts biarmicus). These specimens were 

 from Rickling Fen, Norfolk, and were presented by Mr. J. E. Harting. And he 

 announced that Mr. Harting had given to the Club his collection of Land 

 and Fresh-water Shells, the collection being that used in the preparation of 

 Mr. Harting's little book, Rambles in search of Shells ; most of the beautiful 

 original drawing for the illustrations in that work were made from the 

 specimens in the collection. 



A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Harting for his interesting gift, the 

 President remarking that this was only one of Mr. Harting's many kindnesses 

 to the Museum. 



Mr. John Avery read a paper on " George Edwards, the Stratford 

 .Naturalist," and exhibited a very fine engraved portrait of Edwards. (Mr. 

 Avery's paper will appear in the Essex Naturalist). 



The President said that they were much indebted to Mr. Avery for 

 placing on record another Essex worthy, who must have been a man of very 

 considerable talent to have gained the Copley Medal of the Royal Society. 

 Mr. Walter Crouch also made some remarks upon the paper. 

 A lecture was then given by Prof. E. B. Poulton, M.A., F.R.S., Hope 

 Professor ot Zoology, University of Oxford, entitled " Protective Resem- 

 blance, Warning Colours and Mimicry : Some new illustrations of well- 

 known Principles." The lecture was illustrated by a very extensive and 



