20 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 



Mr. Kenworthy in most of the Essex parishes. So many sections in soft 

 materials lose their clearness and value in a few weeks or even days. Records 

 of any would be valuable if the nature of the material and the spot where the 

 section appeared were noted by an intelligent local observer with sufficient 

 exactness. 



Mr. D. J. Scourfield then gave a lecture entitled " Some illustrations of 

 Pond-life, with especial reference to forms occurring in Epping Forest." The 

 lecture was in the nature of a demonstration of a remarkable series of coloured 

 lantern slides representing some of the choicest examples of our fresh-water 

 Protozoa, Rotifers, Polyzoa, &c. The slides, which were the work of Mr. 

 H. M. J. Underbill, of Oxford, had been very kindly lent for the purpose by 

 Mr. J. J. Vezey, Treasurer of the Quekett Microscopical Club. 



It would be quite impossible to describe in detail these very excellent 

 slides, remarkable alike for fidelity to nature and artistic treatment. The 

 following notes, however, may serve to indicate the general scope of the 

 series : — 



The Rhizopods were represented by such forms as Aiiurba, Actinophrys, 

 and Raphidiophrys. The last named is a most interesting form on account of 

 its colonial habits, each zooid being joined to its neighbours by little bridges 

 of streaming protoplasm. Mr. Scourfield said that although most of the other 

 Rhizopods were pretty common in the Epping Forest district, Rapliidiophiys 

 appeared to be very rare as he had only found it in one little pond in 

 Wan stead Park. 



The Infusoria formed a large detachment. There were examples of the 

 exquisite little " collared" flagellate forms like Codosiza and Salpingaca, of the 

 ciliate forms such as Vorticella, OpJiiydiiiDi, Sec, and of the suctorial group such 

 as Acineta, Podophya, and Dendrosoma. All these have been recorded from the 

 Forest area and most of them are in fact quite common. 



The Sponges were illustrated by Spoiigilla fluviatilis in various stages. 

 This species and probably also one or two others occur in the Lea and the 

 Reding and at Wanstead Park. 



The Hydroids comprise the three species of Hydra (H. vulgaris, H. fiisca, 

 and H. viridis) all of which occur commonly in our ponds and pools, and 

 Cordylophora Ic.custris a brackish water form which seems to be pushing its way 

 more and more into fresh water, but has not \et been seen in Epping Forest 

 area It might be worth while looking for it in the Lea and its associated 

 waters. 



The Rotifers were only represented by the sedentary species (Rhizota) 

 but the drawings of these creatures were exceptionally fine. The chief kinds 

 shown were Floscularia, Stephanoccros CEcistes, Mdicerta, and Lacinidaria. The 

 last mentioned form has apparently never been seen in the Forest district, but 

 the others are for the most part fairly common. 



The Polyzoa or Bryozoa were well illustrated by charming drawings of 

 Fredericella, Paludicclla, Ahyonclla, Plumatella, and Cristatclla. Wanstead Park 

 and Higham Park have yielded at different times specimens of all these forms. 



Hearty votes of thanks were passed to the authors of the papers, and to 

 Mr. Scourfield for his most interesting lecture, and the meeting ended with 

 the usual service of light refreshment in one of the lecture-rooms of the 

 Institute. 



