NOVEMBER. 509 



since hunted the spot over year after year with the 

 nicest search, I could never detect its golden gills 

 there again. So in the spring of 1841, I found, to 

 my surprise, the rare and curious long-stemmed 

 Morell (Morcliella semiliberci) in several spots near 

 Tewkesbury, and actually in the orchard close to my 

 own -entrance-gate, at Eorthampton, although I had 

 never previously met with it in my life another year 

 it may not be found. I once also gathered the Tur- 

 reted Starry Puff-ball ( Geaster fornicatus,) in a lane 

 where I could never again find it, and the appearance 

 of the curious Helvella mitra is very uncertain. In 

 this tribe, then, in particular, the collecting botanist 

 should act upon the principle of " carpe diem" or 

 the opportunity may be lost for ever of minutely 

 inspecting these fugaceous structures- 



" Whose tapering stems, robust or light, 

 Like columns catch the searching sight ; 

 Like fair umbrellas, furl'd or spread 

 Display their many-colour'd head, 

 Grey, purple, yellow, white, or brown, 

 A Grecian shield, or prelate's crown, 

 Like freedom's cap or friar's cowl, 

 Or China's bright inverted bowl." * 



Some of the Pezizas are exquisitely lovely, especially 

 the crimson coloured P. coccinea often seen upon 

 black decaying sticks under hedges, or the Orange 

 Peziza (P. aurantid), scattered upon the ground like 

 pieces of bright orange-coloured saucer-shaped jelly. 

 The little blood-red P. Jiumosa is very pretty when 

 seen scattered among verdant mosses ; and I lately 

 had in my garden a gregarious species on a piece of 



* Bishop MANT. 



