Appendix No. 2. v 
existence, and to form one would be a task well worthy of the ambition 
of a local Society. 
As will be seen by the 'Journal of Proceedings,’ the county collections 
of the Club have been increased during the year, but not to the extent 
anticipated or desired. Mr. Harcourt’s donation of a collection of dried 
flowers from Epping Forest, preserved by Mr. English’s process, deserves 
special notice. Six cases have been received, g,nd the others will be 
delivered as ready. Mr. Hope’s presentation of specimens of Essex 
birds, and Miss Pidley's collection of British ferns, also call for grateful 
a elm o wle dgment. The Council has purchased a first-rate insect cabinet 
of 80 drawers, at a cost of £20, but ornithological, botanical, geological, 
and other cabinets are urgently needed to receive the specimens in hand 
and those which are promised. A full statement of the wishes and needs 
of the Curators will be published during the ensuing spring. 
Nine ordinary and seven field and other meetings have been held, at 
which average attendances have been shown of about 32 and 40 respec¬ 
tively. The Council is very desirous of increasing the interest of the 
meetings by encouraging exhibitions, Ac., and asks for the cordial aid of 
members in this way. A few suggestions will be put forward shortly, 
which it is hoped will have the desired effect. At the seven field 
meetings the Society has had the benefit of the guidance and knowledge 
of the following gentlemen, acting as Referees or Conductors, and to 
whom the Council begs to offer its most grateful thanks : Professor 
Boulger, Dr. Cooke, Canon Du Port, Messrs. James English, E. M. 
Holmes, T. Y. Holmes, Andrew Johnston, and Saville Kent, Professor 
Morris, Messrs. C. B. Plowright, W. W. Reeves, N. F. Robarts, Worth¬ 
ington Smith, F. C. J. Spurrell, Fisher Unwin, Henry Walker, and Dr. 
Wharton. Special acknowledgments are also due for the honour con¬ 
ferred upon the Club by Professor Owen, General Pitt-Rivers, and Dr 
Woodward in taking upon themselves the tasks of expositors and 
lecturers at the meetings held at the British and South Kensington 
Museums on April 1st and May 13th. The Rev. W. Linton Wilson and 
Mi’s. Wilson, with their accustomed hospitality, again entertained the 
Club at Chigwell on July 22nd, on which occasion also a refection was 
provided at the Luxborough Fruit Farm, by the kindness of Messrs. 
Meldola and W. Cole. The annual Cryptogamic Meeting of 1882 was 
one of the most successful assemblies hitherto held by the Club, and it 
is hoped that the “ Loughton Fungus Foray ” will become a popular and 
permanent reunion of London botanists. Saturday, September 29th, has 
been chosen as the date of the “ Foray ” for 1883. 
Various local newspapers have again aided the Club by reporting 
meetings and in other ways. Special thanks are due to the editors 
of the ‘Essex Times,’ ‘Chelmsford Chronicle,’ and ‘Essex Weekly 
News.’ 
The Council cannot but feel that the field meetings form a most 
important part of the work of the Club, and that every effort should be 
