INTRODUCTION. xxv 



The plants of the order of Fungi, afford food to many fpecies of in- 

 fects ; the gills of Agarics, and the tubes of the ftalked Boletujfes, are 

 greedily devoured by fnails ; while the folid or flefhy parts afford both 

 food and habitation to the Larvce of numerous fpecies of flies, both of 

 the Dipt era and Coleoptera claffes. Some of thefe Larva, when fuffi- 

 ciently fed in the flefhy parts of the plant, make their way down the hol- 

 low of the ftem into the ground, where they fwathe themfelves, and 

 remain in the Pupa ftate, till the appointed time of their revival. 



Throughout this work, I have endeavoured to clear the fubjedl from 

 thofe difficulties wherewith it has been long encumbered. In fome 

 fpecies, indeed, it was very difficult to determine with preciffion ; the 

 plants are fo very fimilar in figure; fo very different in appearance, 

 at different ftages of their growth ; fo various in their colour, according 

 to the weather or their age ; and fo confounded by authors, that a man 

 might almoft fpend his whole life amongft them, in order, clearly and ac- 

 curately, to afcertain their fpecies. I have carefully obferved, drawn, and 

 defcribed the plants of this order, when in feafon, for twenty-feven years 

 part; having drawings in my poffeffion which I made in 1761. I have 

 made ufe of all the lights I could obtain from the works of Linnaeus, 

 Hudfon, Scopoli, Haller, Vaillant, Micheli, Battarra, Sterbeeck, Gleditfch, 

 Dillenius, Ray, &c. &c. and after all, I willingly fubmit my obfervations 

 to the few, who have fludied the fubjedl as devoutly as myfelf, to alter, 

 change, or totally rejeSl, fuch as are wrong; and I hope that thofe few,, 

 knowing the difficulties that attend the undertaking, will candidly over- 

 look and forgive fuch fmall miflakes as have efcaped me. 



