ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 57 



days followed by frosts or heavy dews, and then by cool weather, check 

 the growth of the crops and make them susceptible to the attack of the 

 fungus. 



The writer suggests the advisability of a comparative enquiry through- 

 out Europe as to the conditions leading to epidemics of rust disease. 



Fungi of New South Wales.* — Edwin Cheel writes a short review, 

 enumerating the more common fungi that occur in New South Wales. 

 Many species have been discovered and recorded since 18!)2 when Cooke 

 published the Handbook of Australian Fungi. Many of the forms 

 common in Australia are equally familiar in our own country ; they have 

 become naturalized in the pasture lands throughout the State. Among 

 these. Coprinus comatus, Agaricus eampestris, Lepiota procera, Strophanti 

 semiglobata, are well known to all mycologists. 



Among Polyporacese, the common forms are more peculiarly Austra- 

 lian. Polyporus eucalyptorum is frequently found on a species of 

 Eucalyptus known as Stringybark, the sporophore is whitish and soft, 

 the mycelium occurs in thin whitish sheets wrapped round the heart- 

 wood of the tree. 



Polystictus cinnabarina is very common on fence-rails and fallen 

 branches; Polyporus Mylittse is occasionally found. Several Boleti are 

 mentioned, and St&reum lobatum, a common species in warm countries. 



During the rainy weather of January and February a number of 

 peculiar G-asteromycetes are met with : Aseroe rubra, which resembles a 

 sea-anemone, Glathrus cibarius, called the " Lace-ball Fungus," and 

 Lysurus australiensis, or " Deadman's Finger." 



Microfungi are also very abundant, either native or introduced. 

 Uredineae, Ustilagiueas, and Ascomycetes are all well represented. 

 Entomogenous fungi are not uncommon ; species of Cordyceps found on 

 caterpillars and minute forms belonging to the genera Myriangium and 

 Microcera which attack scale-insects, and may have considerable economic 

 importance. 



('heel also adds a note on Mycetozoa, which are abundant. 



Fungi in South Australia. f — T. G. B. Osborne has given a sum- 

 mary of the fungoid products of South Australia. They have been 

 much less worked than those of some of the other States ; there are only 

 about 12 p.c. known of the total number of species recorded for the 

 •Commonwealth. Among the more remarkable fungi occurring in the 

 State are the luminous Pleurotus candescens, which grows on dead 

 Eucalyptus stumps, and Poly/inn/* Mylittse, which" forms bulky sclerotia. 



Another curious fungus belonging to the Polyporeas has been de- 

 scribed under the uame of Laccocephalum basilapiloides. It is found in 

 mallee country, and the mycelium forms dense accretions of the sandy 

 soil at the base of the fungus stipe. The stony masses are roughly egg- 

 shaped, and measure as much as 12 cm. long and 8 '5 cm. thick. 



* Brit. Assoc. Handbk. New South Wales, 1914, pp. 453-7. 

 t Brit. Assoc. Handbk. South Australia, 1914, pp. 22-3. 



