26 FETCH : REVISIONS OF 



of the work, it is most probable that this species was collected, 

 but wrongly described. 



The comparison with other collections is instructive. Gard- 

 ner sent 123 numbers, and we know what names were given to 

 108 of these, but they do not include a single one of Konig's 

 species. Again, Thwaites collected carefully over the same 

 ground for nearly twenty years and sent home altogether 

 about 1,500 numbers, yet, according to the records, he failed 

 to find 48 of Gardner's species, though they must all have been 

 fairly common, conspicuous fungi. Gardner's fungi were 

 accompanied by numerous figures, but unfortunately at his 

 death his herbarium and figures were sold and are now at the 

 British Museum, where they cannot for some years be 

 examined by any one who has seen the fungi growing. For this 

 reason, it is not always possible to decide with strict accuracy 

 what his species were, and thus several fairly obvious syno- 

 nyms must be withheld. But it is quite clear, that Thwaites 

 did gather the same species, and that Berkeley redescribed 

 them under other names. 



One of the most striking instances is that of the termite nest 

 agaric , Volvaria eurhiza. Gardner sent two immature exam- 

 ples of this, which Berkeley named Armillaria eurhiza and 

 Lentinus cartilagineus ; there is probably a tliird name for the 

 same species sent by Gardner, but at present this is doubtful. 

 Now this is quite a common agaric at Peradeniya and else- 

 where , in fact it is found (in Ceylon) wherever there are termites , 

 audit is the chief edible agaric. But neither name is given in the 

 list of Thwaites' specimens. It might be suggested that Thwai- 

 tes did not send what had already been named, but against this 

 we have the fact that Gardner's herbarium was not available, 

 and the rest of Thwaites' collection shows no evidence of any 

 such selection. However, on examining Thwaites' specimens 

 and drawings, it is found that he did collect it and send it to 

 Berkeley, but that it was renamed Collyhia sparsibarbis. 

 Now this species occurs either with or without a ring, a 

 fact which accounts for the two names given to Gardner's 



