mass growing at the foot of an elm ; failing the good qualities we fancy it may possess, there is little to 

 admire in it, but as it was formerly not very well understood, the botanist will be glad to have its proper 

 place defined. 



Weather-beaten specimens of Tkelephora hirsuta may be mistaken at first sight for weather-beaten 

 Auricularia mesenterica, but for the colour of the imder side, the hymenium is buff in the former, in the latter 

 brown-purple; Tkelephora purpurea in its rigid dry state has some resemblance to it, but the distinctive 

 purple of that fmigus is on the upper as well as the under side, while Auricularia mesenterica never has a 

 purple tinge on the upper surface. It is only with washed, aged individuals of any of these varieties mistake 

 can occur, because no Tkelephora is ever gelatinous. The student should, if possible, procure a fungus at 

 several periods of growth, and never waste time and patience in attempting to fix a species from decayed 

 worn subjects. Another hint we must give is, not ruthlessly and greedily to appropriate every portion of 

 a treasure ; leave enough for further development and future crops : it is not fair to be the exterminator of 

 things interesting to others as well as to ourselves. 



