HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



i47 



the area of their distribution : inability to bear cold, 

 slower production. &c, retards, e.g. Helix obvoluta, 

 II. Cartusiana, II. piscina, Clausilia biplicata ; while 

 a hardy constitution, and greater plenty tend to 

 increase. Doubtless, human agency has had much to 

 do with the distribution of some species, inhabiting, 

 as they do, localities which man has continual access 

 to, for business purposes ; as examples, take Helix 

 aspersa, II. nemoralis, H. hispida, Zonites cellarius, 

 and the slugs. Much may be written on this subject, 

 but I have only an opportunity of touching one or 

 two salient points. 



As the species are derivable from the continent, I 

 should "expect to find them in S.E. England," as I 

 stated in my notes ; or, in other words, that is where, if 

 I searched for continental forms, I should look first. 



Doubtless migrations have taken place which do 

 not come within the general theory of Reeve ; for 

 example, Helix lamellata may have crossed England 

 from North Germany, and reached Scotland from 

 Sweden, and so progressed to Ireland, and this points 

 to a remote period of introduction into Britain. It has 

 not been found in England south of Scarborough, 

 so far as I know, and Anglesea in Wales ; it has not 

 been noticed in France, hence I should not look for 

 it in the south of England. 



As bearing upon this migration, may I call Mr. 

 Christy's attention to some notes on Helix Cantiana 

 in the " Midland Naturalist," p. 323, vol. i. ? From 

 its then known distribution through the counties, I 

 named a number of others in which I should expect it 

 to be found. I have since received intimation of its 

 occurrence in four of them. 



If in these few words I have made the subject 

 clearer, I shall be glad. 



MICRO-FUNGI BATHONIENSES. 



[Continued from page 83.] 



No. II. 



I CONTINUED my rambles after the Micro- 

 Fungi, after an interval of some months from 

 the time at which most of the specimens named in 

 my last paper were found. 



It may seem to some that the list of specimens I 

 am about to give does not represent any number of 

 specimens such as one might with diligence have 

 expected to find ; but when it is noted that I was not 

 for some months at a time on the spot, this idea will 

 cease to exist. 



In order to really furnish a full and as far as 

 observation goes complete list, the observer should 

 be in the locality from the beginning of the year till 

 the end. 



Labouring as I did under a disadvantage in this 

 respect, I must be pardoned if my list seem sparing 

 and very incomplete. I can, however, but do my 

 little, and leave it to abler observers who have more 



leisure and who are resident all the year through, to 

 add to that which I have begun. 



I can only add one /Ecidium to my last list, viz. 

 AL. Epilobii on Epilobium montanum, to be found at 

 the top of Bathwick Hill, on the wall by the side of 

 the road leading to Bradford, and also in many other 

 places. It may be worth while noting here how the 

 number of ^Ecidiums fall off about June. 



Before naming other finds I should like to say a few 

 words on two specimens that we are told are common 

 — I mean AL. Tragopogonis and Ai. Urticce. I have 

 never yet found either of these specimens. 



In the case of AL. Urticce, I have searched nettle- 

 beds in all parts of Bath and its locality, and have 

 never yet met with it. I have also searched in other 

 places and counties, but without a find, and the same 

 remarks apply equally to Ai. Tragopogonis. 



I am therefore inclined to the belief that, at any 

 rate of late years, they cannot be so common as we 

 should infer from our text-book.* 



As regards At. Urticce, Mr. Brittain, in his valu- 

 able and most useful little work, "Micro-Fungi: 

 when and where to find them," seems to agree some- 

 what with me in my opinion. f 



I should be very glad if any one who has found 

 either AZ. Tragopogonis or AL. Urticce in the Bath 

 district would let me know. 



Passing on to Puccinia, I have found P. compost- 

 tarum on Crepis -vircus, Widcome Hill, abundant. 



P. variabilis on Leontodon Taraxacum, Widcome 

 Hill, not plentiful. P. Malvaceamm on Malva 

 sylvestris, Claverton Down, plentiful. 



Coleosporium Sonchi-arvcnsis on Solicit ns oleraccus, 

 Widcome Hill, and common in many places. 



Coleosporium Tussilaginis common where leaves 

 of Tussilago farfara are to be found. 



Lecythca Valeriana on Valeriana officinalis, 

 common at Conquell. Ustilago segetum very 



common in the summer of 18S1 in corn-fields. 



Urocystis pompholygodes on Ranunculus repens, 

 common in lane leading to Hampton Down. 



These specimens I have named bring us up to the 

 end of August in the year's course, and in my next 

 paper I shall name a few others, and also give a full 

 list of all I have myself found hitherto. Every 

 specimen named by me has been gathered by myself 

 and in the locality named, and I have not in any 

 single case depended on specimens brought me by 

 others and said to have been found in certain spots. 



I should like to call attention to the new edition 

 of Dr. Cooke's valuable work on " Microscopic 

 Fungi," though it bears date 1878 ; still some may be 

 yet working with the edition of 1872, and they would 

 do well to procure the last edition, which is carefully 

 revised and enlarged. 



Bath. 



Charles F. W. T. Williams. 

 [To be continued.) 



* Cooke's " Micro-Fungi," 4th ed., pp. 14, 195, 197. 

 t Brittain's " Micro-Fungi," p. 27. 



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