238 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OP GLASGOW. 



"A plant of this species has regularly made its 

 appearance for several years j)ast on the stump of 

 an ash-tree at Dalbeth. 



"In 1810 it attained an extraordinary size, being 

 seven feet five inches in circumference, and weighing, 

 after having been cut four days, thirty-four pounds 

 avoird. It was only four weeks in attaining the 

 above size, gaining thus an acquisition of weight of 

 above one pound three ounces in the day." 



Peziza cocciiiea, the beautiful Scarlet Peziza, is 

 recorded in the Fauna and Flora of the JVest of 

 Scotland as common ; but that list, I regret to say, 

 is, so far as the Fungi are concerned, somewhat 

 unreliable. This Peziza is certainly not common in 

 the district, but is found occasionally. Hopkirk says 

 of it: 



" On rotten sticks in w^oods. A group of about 

 ten of this beautiful species I found in Hamilton 

 Wood, on an old branch of a tree, during the last 

 autumn." 



Of necessity I have reviewed Hoj^kirk's work from 

 the coign of vantage of to-day, and it has accord- 

 ingly been more my task to point out Avherein he 

 fell short than to call attention to what he actually 

 did. It is easy now, from the accumulated observa- 

 tions of many, to show the errors and omissions of 

 the one who laboured in the new field. The district 

 was before him with hardly a landmark to guide. 

 He was the pioneer who blazed his way wdiere we 

 later men run smoothly on firm roads. We sally 

 out a-botanising equipjDed with a knowledge of 

 plants and localities that has been growing from 

 more to more these seventy years. Our occasional 

 divergencies from the highway form new beaten 

 tracks that may make it still easier for those who 

 come after. In estimating Hoi)kirk's labours, how- 

 ever, we are bound to consider the state of know- 

 ledge then and the difficulties he had to face. Could 

 anyone of us i3ut himself back to 1813 and into 

 Hopkirk's stead, and then set about the making of 



