THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. Ig7 



Mr. Cole called attention to the many cases of decay and death of Birch 

 trees in Epping Forest, apparently due to some kind of fungoid attack Mr. 

 Elliott and Mr. Ma'^see spoke also on this subject. Since the meeting our 

 member, Mr. Paulson, has began to study this matter, and we may look for a 

 report from him at the next Cryptogamic meeting.] 



The meeting soon after ended, the members making their way to Theydon 

 Bois station, to catch return trains. 



MEETING AT THE MUSEUM OF PRACTICAL 



GEOLOGY, JERMYN STREET 



Saturday, December i6th, 1899. 



On this afternoon a meeting was held in the Theatre of the Museum of 

 Practical Geology, by the courteous permission of Sir Archibald Geikie, 

 F.R.S., Director of the Museum. Our esteemed hon. member, Mr. F. W. 

 Rudler, F.G.S., the Curator, received the party, and very kindly acted as 

 Conductor throughout the meeting. 



The igist Ordinary Meeting was held, as above, at 3 o'clock, Mr. D 

 Howard, President, in the chair. 



The following were elected members of the Club : — Miss Maud M. Biggs, 

 Mr. F. W. Hildyard, F.L.S., Mrs. Hildyard, and Mr. Robert Paulson. 



Mr. W. M Webb, F.L.S., exhibited a species of Woodlouse (Isopoda) 

 new to Britain [Porcellio ratzburgi, Brandt) from Warley, Essex. Mr. Webb 

 gave some details of the occurrence of the new species, which also probably 

 occurs at Brightlingsea. The particulars are embodied in Mr. Webb's paper 

 in the last part of the Essex Naturalist (ante p. 127) 



Mr. Rudler then gave a short lecture on " The arrangement of Museums 

 illustrating the Geologic Sciences," accompanying his remarksby the exhibition 

 of a series of new and old maps of the Geological Survey. The main object 

 of the lecture was to give the members some idea of the objects and mode of 

 exhibition of specimens in the collections. 



At the conclusion of the meeting Mr, Rudler conducted the party through 

 the Museum, giving many most pertinent and interesting " lecturettes " in 

 connection with the several departments. 



Before leaving, at the end of the afternoon, on the proposal of the Presi- 

 dent, a vote of thanks was very cordially given to Mr. Rudler for his lecture 

 and for his excellent and most instructive demonstrations. 



[Tn the circular calling the meeting the' following reference to the late 

 destructive fire at the Municipal Institute, Stratford, was printed. This fire 

 completely upset all the arrangements proposed to be made for the winter 

 meetings of the Club : — 



Owing to the disastrous fire at the Municipal Technical Institute at 

 Stratford, on the morning of October 23rd last, the Physical Lecture Theatre 

 (which had been so kindly placed at our disposal during last Session, by the 

 Technical Instruction Committee), was destroyed. Pending the restoration 

 of the building, it is hoped that arrangements for meeting in another room 

 may soon be made, but in the meantime the Council are organising two or 

 three Meetings in the National Museums during mid-winter and sprint. 



All Members of the Club will deeply regret the terrible misfortune which 

 has overtaken the Institute and Library (probably the finest of their kind 

 in or near London), but it is anticipated that the building will be restored 

 in a year's time. The Natural History Museum most fortunately escaped 

 without injury. 1 



