Journal of Proceedings. 
lxv 
After the researches of the afternoon, the large party returned to 
Loughton, where tea was served at the “ Crown ” Hotel. The specimens 
collected during the day were arranged in one of the rooms of the inn, 
and were named by Dr. Cooke, Mr. Smith, and the other experts. 
The evening meeting commenced with a recital by Dr. Cooke and Dr. 
Spurrell of some of the mycological observations of the day, which have 
been embodied in the preceding account. Mr. Holmes alluded to the 
rediscovery of “ Forster’s Moss,” already recorded. 
The Rev. J. M. Crombie, as recorder of the Lichenes, remarked that he 
had found Monk Wood very destitute of lichen-life. Hornbeam and 
Beech were by no means favourable to the development of lichens. Some 
years ago, in arranging the lichens in the herbarium of the British 
Museum, he had come upon the collection made by Edward Forster, and 
it was quite evident that forty-five years ago Epping Forest was remark¬ 
ably rich in lichens. His (Mr. Crombie’s) own list, made twelve or 
fourteen years ago, comprehended some sixty species and varieties, and 
the collection made by Forster certainly amounted to three hundred 
varieties and species. There was, therefore, no doubt that a very con¬ 
siderable change had taken place.* 
Mr. E. M. Holmes then read the following paper, which was illus¬ 
trated by some admirable coloured diagrams specially prepared for the 
occasion by Mrs. Holmes, and by a large number of specimens and 
preparations :— 
Notes on the Study of Marine Alg.e. 
“That a Natural-History Society should embrace all branches of 
botanical science among its subjects for investigation, and that therefore 
Marine Algae should not be neglected, must be my apology for bringing 
such a subject before an inland meeting. Marine Algae have probably 
received less attention from British botanists during the last thirty years 
than any other class of plants, but if one may judge from the number of 
interesting and important discoveries that have been made on the Continent 
concerning their modes of growth and fructification during the same period, 
no class of plants would better repay careful investigation. Although the 
old classification of Marine Algae into Green-, Red-, and Brown-spored Algae 
is known to be incorrect and unsatisfactory, the present state of our know¬ 
ledge of the development of many species is too incomplete to permit of 
a new one being devised. Such knowledge can only be obtained by 
residence near the sea, and this is possible only to a few. 
“ Those members of the Essex Field Club who have the opportunity of 
occasionally visiting the shore may render good service to British 
algology by collecting and recording the species to be met with on the 
coast of Essex. The British marine flora is by no means exhausted, for 
although about thirty f new species have been detected during the last 
two years, chiefly in Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and Fifeshire, there are 
still many continental species occurring on the French and Norwegian 
coasts which are almost sure to be detected on the British shores if 
* Mr. Crombie has given the results of bis observations on the past and present con¬ 
dition of tbe Lichen-Ylma. of Epping Forest in a paper read before tbe Club on April 28th, 
1883, which will appear in a future part of the ‘ Transactions.’ 
t This number has now (June, 1883) increased to sixty. 
e 
