2 MICROSCOPIC FUNGI. 



volume of the ' ' English Flora " made its appear- 

 ance). It would be incompatible with our object, 

 and beyond our limits, to introduce an entire 

 mycological flora to our readers in these pages; 

 but we hope to communicate such information as 

 will serve as an introduction to certain sections of. 

 the Handbook of British Fungi, and render the 

 demand still wider and more general for such an 

 extension of our botanical literature. When the 

 early editions of this book were issued, no other 

 detailed account, or figures, of the objects it con- 

 tained could be found in this country; but, 

 although such is not now the case, it still remains 

 unique in its character. 



Let not the reader imagine, from what we have 

 just stated, that it is our intention to burden him 

 with a dry series of botanical descriptions ; as much 

 of this as we deem essential to render the book 

 available to the botanical student, we have pre- 

 ferred to add in the form of an Appendix. Useful 

 as these may be to some, we hope to be en- 

 abled to furnish for others something more; and 

 although we at once disclaim any intention of 

 including all the microscopic, or even the epiphytal 

 fungi, in our observations, yet we trust, by a selec- 

 tion of common and typical species for illustration, 

 and by an adherence to certain well-defined groups 

 and sections, to demonstrate that the microscopist 

 will find an eligible field for his observations in 

 this direction, and the botanical student may gain 



