96
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
passed the Trinity College, Oxford, and got the living of Upminster in 1689.4
In 1697, and perhaps before, he began making rainfall observations, and kept
them going until 1716, but I am strongly of opinion that he was observing for
many years after that. Unfortunately we cannot find—at least I cannot
find—at present the rest of his observation?. The Royal Society, as you
know, is a very venerable society, going back to King Charles' time, and
they have printed their "Transactions" from that time to the present. Many
of Derham's observations are given in these volumes, but about 70 years ago an
abstract of the "Philosophical Transactions" in eighteen volumes quarto was
published, and I turned to that series to see what I could find about Derham,
who was a fellow of the Royal Society, and whether the year's observations
omitted in the "Philosophical Transactions" were given there ; on the contrary,
I found that the Editors year after year wrote with respect to them, "These
observations are quite useless, and therefore need not be referred to ;" and now here
I, 200 years afterwards, would give a good deal to get back those observations which
they so unceremoniously cast on one side. I was led to speak of Derham's obser-
vations by the fact that in one of his books he referred to a measurement of Snowdon
made as far back as 1682. I think Essex may be proud of having a man who was
not only engaged in active scientific observation in the county at that (scientifically)
ancient period, but who actually travelled a considerable distance, when such
travelling was a much more serious undertaking than now it is, to make observa-
tions with the barometer. Incidentally I may say that the observations he then
made came out within something like 100 feet of those which have since been
determined by the Ordnance Survey, which is a satisfactory degree of precision
for that period. And now if you will excuse me I will detain you no longer.
[We should mention that in compiling the above report of Mr. Symons'
address, we have, by his kind permission, made free use of the valuable informa-
tion contained in his pamphlet on the "Arrangements for the Systematic
Observation and Record of the Rainfall of the British Isles" (1885).—Ed.]
A vote of thanks to Mr. Symons was, on the proposal of Prof. Meldola, passed
by acclamation, and the members soon after separated into parties, wending their
way to Theydon or Loughton. The evening was very fine and calm, and a wood-
land ramble appropriately brought the meeting to an end.
Compound Spike of Plantago.—On July 6th I found the enclosed
compound spike of Plantago [? major] on a piece of waste ground bordering a
field in Widford. Many plants of the same species were in the neighbourhood,
but this was on the only one showing anything abnormal. You will perceive that
it somewhat resembles the fig. 54 on page 109 of Dr. Masters' "Vegetable
Teratology," but that the terminal spike is longer, and the lateral spikes less
numerous and more irregular than in the figure, though there are more than a
dozen lateral spikes, of which some are very small. It is also remarkable that so
far as I could see each spike, taken by itself, would seem normal, without any
thing remarkable in the way of bracts ; the only eccentricity being in the number
of spikes on the common peduncle. It would have been interesting to know if
such an inflorescence would if left to itself have resulted in the production of
fertile seeds. It is my opinion that it would, and that abnormal forms might be so
perpetuated; but in the case of such a weed there would scarcely be sufficient motive
for any one to pursue the experiment.—John Gibbs, Chelmsford, July 13th, 1888.
4 A sketch of the life and works of Dr. Derham is now being prepared by Prof. Boulger, and
will probably be read at the meeting to be held at Upminster in June.—Ed.