THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 263 



Depth. 



268 6 

 572 o 



I make out the subdivisions 

 of the Lower London Tertiary rocks. However, the chief point of interest is 

 the fact that between Cliffe and Thames Haven, a distance of three miles, 

 the top of the Chalk instead of being 30 or 40 ft. above the surface of the 

 marsh, has descended to a depth of 268 ft. 6in. below it. To this northerly 

 dip of the Chalk we doubtless owe the great development of marsh east of 

 Cliffe and East Tilbury as compared with that visible between East Tilbury 

 and Purfleet, where the Chalk is above O.D. on both sides of the river. 

 The Thames has eroded away the soft Tertiary and later beds more 

 easily than the harder Chalk, and has left the marshes and old channels of 

 Canvey Island, and those nearer Corringham, Fobbing, and Pitsea, as records 

 of its course in times prehistoric, though geologically recent." 



From Hole Haven the party turned inland and walked across Canvey 

 to South Benfleet. The prospect of the high grounds of Benfleet and 

 Leigh was much admired. There are but few trees on the island, and the 

 hedges are low and largely formed of blackthorn. During a walk taken 

 through the island by the Secretaries a few weeksearlier, an astonishing number 

 of " nests " of the gregarious larvse Cliosiocampa Uinestiis and C. neustria were 

 observed. On the day of the meeting many of the nests were deserted, but 

 they were still greatly in evidence. Amid the long grass on some of the banks, 

 solitary specimens of the Grass Vetch (Lathyius nissolia) were observed. 



At Benfleet tea was taken at the " Hoy" inn, and afterwards an 

 Ordinary Meeting (the 195th) was held, Mr. G E. Vaughan, Member of 

 the Council in the chair. 



The following wereelected members of the Club — Miss Kate M. Hall, 

 Mr. W.J. Hiam, Mrs. Hiam, and Mrs. S. Scott. 



The only other business was the nomination of Officers and Members 

 of Council preparatory to the .\nnual Meeting, which had been postponed 

 as indicated at a previous meeting. 



The following Members of Council retired under the Rules, but offered 

 themselves for re-election ; — Messrs. Andrew Johnston, J P, ; J. Spiller, 

 F.C.S.,F.I.C. ; F. H. Varley, F.R.A S., &c., and J. C. Shenstone. 



There were two vacancies by the resignation of Mr. J. H. Porter and the 

 much regretted death of Mr. T. Hay Wilson. 



The Secretary, on behalf of the Council, nominated Messrs. Johnston, J. 

 Spiller, F. H. Varley, and J. C. Shenstone to fill the vacant seats, and also 

 Mr. .\. Lockyer (on vacating the office of Librarian) to fill the seat vacated by 

 Mr. Porter. 



