426 A. E. HILTON ON THE STUDY OF THE MYCETOZOA. 



the collection, price 3d, or by post 4d. This is well illustrated, 

 gives a good life-history, and contains a classification sufficiently 

 detailed for rough identification of species. A revised edition was 

 issued last year. This can be supplemented, later on, by a copy 

 of Mr. Lister's Monograph of the Mycetozoa, price 15-9., to he 

 obtained at the same place. Meanwhile, a useful little book, 

 The Mycitozoa, price Is., by Sir Edward Fry and his daughter, is 

 procurable at the office of " Knowledge," 326, High Holborn. 

 This also is illustrated, contains much information in a popular 

 form, and indicates to some extent the nature of the questions 

 raised by the characteristics which the Mycetozoa present. 

 Mr. Massee's Monograph of the Myxogastres is unfortunately out 

 of print, and not easily obtainable. Dr. M. C. Cooke's small 

 volume on The Myxomycetes is in the library of the Club. 



In seeking for specimens, sharp eyes and patience are great 

 helps. It is not of much use to look for them in extremely cold 

 or very dry weather. The damp recesses of woods, .or clearings 

 where there are felled logs, broken branches, or rotting stumps, 

 are among the best hunting-grounds ; but wood-yards, straw 

 heaps, fences, and decaying nettle-stalks are also likely places 

 for finding them. If, however, as in my case, eyesight is not 

 keen, and patience is not your chief virtue, you may possibly 

 search time after time and find but little, although specimens. 

 may be within easy reach, if you knew just where to light upon 

 them. My own plan is not so much to look for actual specimens, 

 as for pieces of branch likely to produce them. These I take 

 home, keep moist, and examine every few days. Some I place in 

 a small bell-glass aquarium, with about an inch depth of water 

 at the bottom. One end of each piece of wood stands in the 

 water ; the other end rests against the side or rim of the glass. 

 Other pieces of wood, bark, moss, leaves, etc., I place in a shallow 

 tin tray. An ordinary baking- tin answers the purpose well, 

 The bottom of the tin I cover with " felting," a fibrous layer 

 commonly placed under carpets to save wear. This, when well 

 wetted, keeps damp some time, and only needs the addition of a 

 little water now and then to keep things moist. At the end of 

 a week or fortnight there are usually some sporangia visible on 

 the wood, moss, or other substances under observation, most fre- 

 quently of Comatricha, but sometimes of Trichia, Arcyria, or 

 oth< r gi neia. I have not yet succeeded in getting much variety 

 in this way ; but I have been more successful by this means than 

 by searching for sj ecimens direct. 



