288 The Scottish Naturalist. 



The sub-genera of Agaricus already represented, though not yet completed, 

 are Amanita, Lepiota, Armillaria, Tricholoma, and Clitocybe. The numbers 

 which have been issued warrant the assertion that the work will form one of 

 the most valuable of recent contributions to mycological illustrations. The 

 plates are executed by the process known as chromo-photo-lithography. The 

 figures are photographed on stone from the original drawings. In this way 

 every line and feature of the original are reproduced without the intervention 

 of an artist ; and thus accuracy in details, such as could scarcely be attained 

 by the mechanical work of one unacquainted with essentials or non-essentials, 

 is secured. The figures are printed in colours by the author's directions, 

 and the ground of each plate is delicately tinted. In addition to the centre 

 figures, sectional outlines of each plant are given, revealing internal charac- 

 ters — such as structure of pileus, form and attachment of gills, and habit of 

 stem. 



From personal communication with the author — especially regarding 

 species which have been described in " Mycologia Scotica" — we can vouch 

 for the extreme care which he bestows upon the plates, in securing both 

 accurate delineation and lifelike colouring. It may be stated, that the Rev. 

 M. J. Berkeley has placed at Dr Cooke's disposal a large number of his 

 original drawings, which will greatly enrich the work. 



Having regard to its scientific value, the work is wonderfully moderate in 

 price ; and it is to be hoped that a wide circulation will secure for it the 

 encouragement which it so well merits. It will be for the material interest 

 of a limited number of subscribers to make immediate application to the 

 Author, 146 Junction Road, London, N. 



"The Victor overthrown"? — The voracity of the Fishing Frog {Lophius 

 piscatorins) is well known. The following instance will sustain its noto- 

 riety : — A gentleman residing in the N. W. of Shetland — at "grey Hills- 

 wick, " as Sir Walter in the ' Pirate ' sings — observed on 21st October last 

 a somewhat unusual object lying at the water's edge, ebb tide, on Turn ess 

 (Thor's Headland). On approaching it he found it to be a Fishing Frog — 

 in length 5 feet 8 inches, breadth 2 feet 3 inches, and width of gape 2 feet. 

 It was hauled to the green bank and opened up, when, to his surprise, he 

 discovered a fine specimen of the great black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 

 fairly ensconced in the stomach (not in the cavity of the mouth), without a 

 feather ruffled or its natural tints of colour faded : a small, fresh, bright-eyed 

 whiting was lying close by the bill of the gull. No other food was seen in 

 the Frog's stomach. The distinction between the two black-backed Gulls 

 was well known to him and to others who saw this bird. Its size was 5 feet 

 1 inch from tip to tip of wings, and from end of the tail to crown of the 

 head 2 feet 5 inches. The fresh appearance, both in fish and bird, showed 

 that neither of them had been long dead ; yet there was a pretty strong sus- 

 picion that, by swallowing the latter, the former came to its end. The gull 

 might have been either floating dead on the tide, or wading in search of food, 

 when its body was grasped by the man-trap-like jaws of the frog. — G. 

 Gordon, The Manse, Birnie, Flgin, 10th January 18S2. 



