The Scottish Naticraust. 279 



by Dr. Allen. Fifty-five excellent woodcuts add to the value of this very 

 useful monograph. 



a Manual of the British Discomycetes, By William Phillips, 

 F.L.S., (published by Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., as Vol. LX., in the Inter- 

 national Science Series, 1887). 



For several years no group of Fungi has been in a condition less satis- 

 factory to British mycologists than the Discomycetes. This group has 

 remained unmonographed since the publication of Dr. Cooke's " Handbook of 

 British Fungi" in 1871, since which time there has been no attempt to focus 

 the information regarding them that had accumulated in the interval. Nor 

 has the family fared much better during this period on the Continent ; for, 

 with the exception of monographs of one or two of the orders, Karsten's 

 revisions of the species of this group in Finland, and one or two proposed 

 schemes of classification, there are few recent sources of information respect- 

 ing these Fungi. The need of a work embodying the results of the later in- 

 vestigations, both in the British Islands and on the Continent, had made itself 

 so strongly felt that it gave great pleasure to British mycologists to learn a few 

 years ago that Mr. Phillips was engaged upon the preparation of a monograph 

 of the British Discomycetes ; for it was felt that by no other could the work 

 be so thoroughly done. Mr. Phillips' work has been eagerly looked for ; and 

 the expectations so confidently entertained of its value have been well justi- 

 fied, for it must be indispensable to students of mycology abroad as well as 

 within Great Britain. It is, therefore, aground for satisfaction of an unmixed 

 kind that, despite the excellence of the typography and plates scarcely less 

 than of its subject matter, the book is published at a price that places it within 

 the reach of every person desirous to prosecute the study of these Fungi. 

 Indeed we do not remember any other instance of an English book of such 

 value upon any scientific subject supplied at so low a price. 



The first impression of any mycologist, familiar with the earlier English 

 works on the Discomycetes, on opening this volume will probably be surprise 

 at the large number of additions that have been made to the British Flora in 

 recent years ; and it is evident that the novelties are still far from exhausted, 

 if we may judge from the number of new species described in the book itself. 

 On a more careful inspection he will be struck with the care displayed in the 

 author's treatment of his subject, and with the valuable analytical keys to the 

 genera, the subgenera, and the species, which add greatly to the value of the 

 book. But he will probably feel a good deal bewildered by the number of 

 "genera" the names of which are unfamiliar to him, and which he finds to be 

 formed of parts of such old friends as Peziza, Geoglossiim, &c. ; and 

 he may be inc'ined to question the value of "genera," some of which are 

 separated from one another by characters that can hardly be put into words. 

 Yet it must be recognised that the trained eye and intellect can frequently 

 seize differences that elude the power of words to express in a way to which 

 exception cannot be taken ; and the result of experience alone can justify 

 criticism of any real value in such questions. We believe that Mr. Phillips' 

 book will stand the test of time ; though probably open to rearrangement he;e 

 and there in its details; e.g., is Stamnaria Persoonii quite in its proper place in 



