THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 139 



which the malting town of Bishops Stortford stands) enters the Lea. Next 

 comes Dobb's Weir and TumbUng Bay. I have never fished this district, 

 but am tempted to visit the place some day, as it has a most inviting 

 appearance, and hoists a public announcement that anglers may obtain 

 tickets at the neighbouring hostelry — ' The Fish and Eels ' — on the bank, 

 which we noticed in passing. Next comes Carthagena Bay, the reason for 

 which Spanish cognomen appears to be unknown. Here," Mr. Bramley 

 adds, " I have spent many days with rod and line, and remember a once 

 familiar angler, the late Charles Bradlaugh, MP., whose name and angling 

 skill will not be forgotten while so many specimens of his sportive success 

 grace the walls of the hostelry just below, viz., the ' Crown ' at Broxbourne. 

 A change has come over the ' Crown ' so far as ownership is concerned. 

 Change is a law of nature, if law and change do not form an anachronism. 

 Laws are immutable, and, in this respect, mutability is immutable. Anglers 

 have for years known a distinctive figure, Mrs. Benningfield, whom 

 probably they will know no more as hostess of the ' Crown,' for, although 

 still continuing to reside in the neighbourhood, the lady has sold her 

 interests in the house and gardens, and the fi-^hing arrangements. 



"King's Weir attracts us, and calls for a halt. We step on the bank 

 and find an old friend and well-known angler drinking in the breezes of this 

 healthful place, and in the closing act of struggling with a 31b, bream. 

 There are several chub flaunting their bright backs before we leave, The 

 pool here is rented by some half-dozen London anglers, who appear to have 

 in hand what is commonly described as ' a good thing.' Eels are said to 

 abound ; chub and bream, too." 



On the way Mr. Holmes discourses on some salient points in the 

 geology and geography of the valleys along which we. are steaming, and 

 Mr. Webb exhibits the moUusca found, giving some interesting talk on 

 their habits and mode of occurrence. Mr. Webb also exhibited a fine 

 specimen of the very curious " graft-hybrid " Cylisus labuyiium-adaini, which 

 came from Mr. Winstone's garden at Epping. A copious description of this 

 form, so interesting to plant physiologists, will be found in the English 

 translation of Kerner's Natural History of Plants, H., '570-1 It will be 

 remembered that a specimen from a garden at Buckhurst Hill was exhibited 

 by Prof. Boulger, at a meeting of the Club on May 24th, 1884 (see Jjuriuil 

 of Proceedings, E.F.C., \'ol. iv., p. c.) 



A very refreshing tea, with plenty of fruit, was served on board. Very 

 cordial votes of thanks were passed to Major Flower for his kindness so often 

 shown, and also to the Lee Conservance for the use of the boat, and to Mr. 

 Corbie for the trouble he had taken in connection with this, our fourth 

 voyage, and we found ourselves approaching Waltham Abbey, the end of the 

 excursion for most of the party. As Mr. Bramley writes : — " These last few 

 miles for quiet sylvan beauty are not the least attractive. In the distance we 

 view groves of trees, behind which are some extensive works for the manu- 

 facture of gunpowder, cordite, &c., which stimulate our martial pride in this 

 age of actual wars and rumours of wars. Waltham is noted for its neighbour- 

 ing old-time convents, its former line of 27 abbots and numerous monks, and 

 the famous Abbey, which has held its own for centuries. Tradition ascribes 

 the first thoughts of the Reformation to have been hatched in the mind of 



