BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 5 



Notes on Fungi. — The great drought which extended throughout 

 Maryland in June and July, 1879, ^^^^ discouraging to the collector of 

 Fungi. Very few Agarics appeared, and the Boleti, with the excep- 

 tion of a few stunted forms, were not represented. Even in eastern 

 Maryland, where the atmosphere is humid, the land low — woods often 

 in swamps— plains intersected by narrow streams and broad rivers — 

 there was a like scarcity of plants. 



For the past four years certain species of fungi have been plentiful 

 in nearly all woods within the distance of thirty miles from Baltimore. 

 In June and July. 1877, likewise in 1878, the woods near Lutherville, 

 Baltimore county, was adorned wiili beautiful forms and glowing 

 colors. This profusion continued at intervals until September, a few 

 coming as late as November. 



The first and only perfect plant I collected in June, 1879, was A. 

 [Copriniis] micaccus, Fr. It had chosen a low situation on a lawn that 

 was kept constantly watered with, a hose. In this way it obtained 

 sufficient moisture to reach perfection. The pileus was ovate, pale 

 ochraceous or cinereous, i ^2-2 inches broad ; two were covered with 

 micaceous granules, the rest were smooth; margin deeply striate, 

 nearly plicate ; lamella?, at first white, turning to black; deliquescent; 

 stipe hollow, white, silky ; spores .0003 x. 00035 of an inch long, .0003 

 of an inch broad; black; plant ciespitose. On the day that I found 

 this Agaric, I asked a laboring man if he had seen any "Frog stools" 

 in that section ? He looked at me earnestly, repeating : "Frog stools ! 

 Why, they isn't come up yet. What does anybody want with them 

 pison things ? You'll pison yourself to death !" A few days after 

 this I met with the same man, and was greeted with the query : 

 "Found any frog stools, yet ?" When I replied in the negative, he in- 

 stantly said : "An' it's a blessed thing you can't find 'em! Better 

 let frog stools alone 1 That's my advice to everybody." When turn 

 ing to walk off, one of my companions heard him remark in an under 

 tone: "Poor thing; crazy, certain sure. Clean gone mad!" 



During the great drought in July I met with Boletus sirobilaceus, 

 Scop., growing solitary upon the summit of a high embankment. • 

 Considering the jjarched and slippery grass that one had to pass over, 

 it looked like a break neck excursion to attempt to reach it ; but with 

 the aid of two stout sticks I succeeded in gaining the eminence. The 

 plant was perfect in all its parts, with a pileus 2 inches broad. The 

 wonder was how a spore could germinate in soil that was apparently 

 without moisture ; but so it was. In ^'ery wet seasons this fungus 

 often attains 10 inches across pileus. In the latter part of July, A. 

 {Lcnfinas) Icpidcus. Fr. , appeared in profusion on an old stump in 

 Druid Hill Park, near Baltimore. The stipes were scaly, rooting 

 below and variously branched ; each branch bore a perfect pileus 2-4 

 inches broad, mostly convex, white, covered with small, pale brown 

 scales; lamellfe white, decurrent; spores .00026 x .0003 of an inch in 

 diameter. A. {Ai/iani(a) strohilifonnis, Fr. , appeared in Druid Hill 

 Park about the same time. This is a majestic plant with a pileus 8-9 

 inches broad, dirty white cinerous and even ochraceous, covered with 

 persistent warts not unlike the scales on a small pine cone; lamellte 



