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THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 



GARDEN PARTY AT '' KNIGHTON." ' 

 Saturday, April 22ND, 1899. 



THE Summer Session of the Club began with a very enjoyable Garden 

 Party, kindly given by Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Buxton at their beautifu 

 grounds, "Knighton,' Buckhurst Hill. A large body of members was met 

 at the Station by the Secretary, and conducted through Lords' Bushes to the 

 private gate at the north side of the grounds. Many came from other parts, 

 and in all about 70 members and visitors accepted our kind hosts' invitation. 

 The members were met on the lawn by Mr. and Mrs. Buxton. One of the most 

 charming sights in the spring in tlie grounds is the fine collection of Daffodils, 

 for which "Knighton" is almost as celebrated as for the Rhododendrons 

 later in the year. The great merit of the garden is that it is truly a " garden 

 wild," intermixed with woodland, and a perfect paradise for birds. No 

 shooting or trapping is allowed, and the numerous " nesting-boxes " placed in 

 quiet corners testified to the care taken in protecting and encouraging the 

 dwellers in the woods and thickets. 



The afternoon was spent in conversation, in the delights of croquet, 

 boating on the pretty lake, fringed with all kinds of aquatic plants, or in 

 examining Mr. Buxton's magnificent collection of the heads of large game, 

 and antlers of the Cervidae, with which the central hall of the mansion is 

 ornamented. They are all trophies of Mr. Buxton's skill as a hunter, during 

 his sporting tours in various parts of Europe. His two volumes, " Short 

 Stalks," and "More Short Stalks," give the history of many of these fine 

 specimens, which are not only of interest to the naturalist, but are in them- 

 selves admirable examples of the taxidermist's art. 



Afternoon tea and other refreshments were served in the hall and dining 

 room. 



During the afternoon an Ordinary Meeting of the Club (the 187th) was 

 held in the Drawing Room, Mr. D. Howard, President, in the chair. 



On the motion of the President, a very hearty vote of thanks was passed 

 to Mr. and Mrs. Buxton for their hospitable kindness in arranging the 

 meeting. 



The following wt-re elected Members of the Club; — Mr. Harry Bird, 

 C.C, Miss Amy M. Horton, Mr. Russell Paterson, and Mr. G. T. Reid. 



Dr. H. C. Sorby, F.R.S., exhibited a series of specimens showing the 

 advances he had recently made in the methods of preparing Marine Animals 

 for Museum exhibition. The Doctor made some remarks on these methods. 

 He had fou ad that menthol was an excellent agent for "fixing" and killing 

 many organisms in life-like positions, and he had recently employed dense 

 glycerine as a permanent preservative. We hope to be enabled to publish 

 details in the Essex Naturalist at an early date. 



To quote the words of the County Chyoniclc : — " Fortunately April was 

 kind, and, in spite of a somewhat threatening dulness during the early part of 

 the afternoon, the sun came out of his hiding-place about four o'clock, and 

 shone with a genial warmth until the party broke up, each member returning 

 home with a sense of gratitude to the host and hostess for having shown them 

 in so hospitable a manner one of the most charming spots in Essex." 



