24 The Scottish Naturalist. 



I shall not detain you longer than to indicate by a brief 

 analysis what we may aim at in preparing such a guide. 



In addition to the general arrangement and classification, I 

 propose, after the names of species, to give references to such 

 authorities as may furnish the necessary information regarding 

 their history and identification. I shall then notice their 

 habitats, the seasons of their appearance, and the altitudes of 

 their growth. This will be followed by a record of localities, 

 and of authorities for these localities. 



Looking to these details, 1 have not been able to accomplish 

 more this year than a record of Hyvienomyceies. Tlie re- 

 maining portion of the lists contain simply the names of species. 

 But I hope by another year to lay these also before you in 

 detail. And I trust that the course of another year may find 

 the entire list greatly enlarged. 



My lists at present contain 2,316 species — about two thirds 

 of the whole British Flora — and these have been gathered in 

 counties ranging from Inverness in the north to Ayr in the 

 south, and from the east to the west coasts. 



Taking these counties in two divisions by a line drawn down 

 the centre of Scotland from north to south, or, better perhaps, 

 in three divisions, embracing the west and east coast and the 

 central counties, we have already, I believe, very fair types of 

 the Mycological Flora of Scotland. It remains to be seen what 

 may be developed in the extreme northern and southern 

 divisions. 



It may be interesting to note, that since the publication of 

 the latest British Work — ''Cooke's Hand-book of British Fungi," 

 Scotland has added to the British Flora no fewer than 168 

 species. Of these 58 are species new to science, and no new 

 to Britain. 



Of Hynicnoniycdcs, where doubtless we have the most 

 limited field for the discovery of new species, we have no fewer 

 than 17 new to science, while 76 have been recorded as new to 

 Britain. Of the other families we have to record 41 new species, 

 and 34 new to Britain. And I may add, as showing that we 

 are not likely to prove an useless corporation, that of these 168 

 species, 154 have been added to the British Flora by those who 

 are at present ofllce-bearers of the Cryptogamic Society of 

 Scotland. 



Turning to the first part of the list, which embraces Hymeiio- 

 viycctes, I have followed the classification and arrangement of 



