The Scottish Naturalist. 191 



paper as should combine brevity with utility, and supply the 

 kind of information which would best serve the interests of 

 this Society and of Scottish Cryptogamists generally. 



It is well known that I have abjured the study of all other 

 Cryptogamia on behalf of Mycology, and deeming the interests 

 of the Hy meno my cetes perfectly safe in the hands of Mr. Worthing- 

 ton Smith, it is but little attention that I can find time to 

 bestow on any but Microscopic Fungi, and, therefore, it is of 

 these alone that I purpose to write. 



The geographical distribution of Fungi in Scotland is a topic 

 of interest ; but as yet the materials are deficient for constructing 

 any such tables. This, I would suggest, is an eligible work for 

 the Cryptogamic Society to undertake, and as the Rev. J. 

 Stevenson is making a contribution to such a work, we may 

 fairly conclude that it has really commenced. I shall not 

 attempt, therefore, to enumerate the Fungi found in Scotland, 

 or any portion of it, since this Society may soon avail itself of 

 much more complete materials than any which I possess. The 

 subject which appeared to me at once the most advisable to 

 attempt, and the one which would best secure your approbation, 

 consists of a few stray notes and suggestions on Fungi not yet 

 recorded, or but rarely found in Scotland, deeming that thereby 

 you might be enabled considerably to augment the Scottish 

 catalogue. 



Before proceeding directly to this subject, I cannot forbear, 

 on this the first opportunity I have had of addressing Scottish 

 Cryptogamists on their own soil, to pay my tribute of respect 

 to the memory of workers who have ceased their labours and 

 gone to their rest. Foremost amongst these stands the name of 

 Dr. Greville, whose Scottish Cryptogamic Flora still holds a 

 respectable place in Cryptogamic literature, notwithstanding 

 that his microscopical details are not up to the standard of the 

 day. Dr. Greville was a hard and earnest worker, and set an 

 example which may be worthily followed. 



In a humbler sphere William Gardiner must not be forgotten, 

 although chiefly as a collector, yet he performed useful work 

 in his generation. 



No collections however have been more important than those 

 made by Captain Carmichael in Appin. Considering the time at 

 which he worked and the difficulty of acquiring information, it 

 is no small honour that Carmichael found so much that was 

 new and interesting. 



