144 The Scottish Naturalist 



The first volume includes only three genera, viz., AgaricuA, with 782 species ; 

 Coprinns, with 33 ; and Bot&itius, with 7. The numbers given in Cooke's 

 V Hand-book" are 452, 28, and 5 respectively; so that the increase in the 

 number of species in these genera, since the publication of that work, has 

 been extremely rapid. The second volume completes the group of Hymenomy- 

 cetes. The increase in the lists of British Fungi is almost as marked in this 

 Yolume, viz., remaining Agaricini 361, Polyporci 201, Hydnei 77, "J helephorei 

 10S, Clavariei 69, Tremellind 33 (849 in vol. II.), against 214, 182, 44, 72, 

 55, and 28, excluding certain species as not true Hymenomycctes. Thus 

 between 1871 and 1886 the number of known British Hymcnomycetes has been 

 raided from 1040 to 1673 (including 2 species described by Mr. Stevenson in 

 an appendix to vol. I.). 



In regard to the descriptions of the species, they have been modelled on those 

 of Fries, and are excellent, as might indeed be anticipated. It is unlikely that 

 botanists will quarrel with the method of including the diagnosis in the 

 description, but distinguished by italics, despite the author's fear lest they 

 should. The remarks that follow the descriptions, with special reference to 

 the allied forms and their distinctive marks, will be of great use in the 

 employment of the book in field work. Another feature of much value is the 

 woodcut of each subgenus, by W. G. Smith. 



In conclusion we have great pleasure in welcoming this work ; which ought 

 to give a very great stimulus to the progress of the study of British Hymcnomy- 

 cetes, and we hope for the speedy appearance of monographs of a similar kind 

 for other groups. 



