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THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



COPROPHILOUS, OR DuNG FuNGI (ReSUME). 



By George Massee, F.L.S. 



{^Delivered February 2lst, 1902.) 



To those in quest of new fields of research, the very- 

 interesting fungi growing on the dung of various animals may 

 be recommended as affording ample material, whether viewed from 

 the systematic or biological standpoint. Research in this direction, 

 carried on at intervals during one year, has added just over fifty 

 species to the British Fungus Flora, and the field is by no means 

 exhausted ; whereas, from the biological side of the question, 

 which is undoubtedly the most fascinating, it may be truly said 

 that almost everything yet remains to be done. As many of 

 these fungi are readily cultivated, the means of adding to our 

 knowledge as to why many forms assume such grotesque shapes, 

 are furnished with such remarkable-looking appendages, or 

 provided with such bright colours, should tempt some from 

 amongst those who are desirous of entering a comparatively new 

 field of investigation. 



It is just possible that the special matrix on which the subjects 

 of our remarks elect to grow might prove a bar to this special 

 branch of study ; this, however, is purely a matter of sentiment , 

 and should not stand in the way. A "piece of horsedung about 

 the size of a cricket-ball, kept moist and covered with a bell-jar, 

 may be kept under observation for months, and will yield rich 

 crops of probably not less than thirty or forty different species. 

 From such a stock-in-hand, material of some kind is always in 

 good condition for examination at any spare moment ; and, 

 furthermore, where the investigation of the life-history of a 



JouRN. Q. M. C, Series II.— No. 50. 17 



