96 JOURNAL OF THE 



air from the farther end of the valley convercre as the\' rise 

 at this point, favored by the cliffs at the north and east, and 

 on an otherwise calm day qnite a strong" breeze ^' blows" 

 over the rock. Throw yonr hat, walking-stick, or what- 

 not over the precipice and the wind brings them back to 

 yon. Legend has it that a despairing lover once leaped 

 from the side of the fair one over the rock and the crnel 

 winds picked him np and bronght him back to her feet! It 

 is proper to say, however, that when the writer visited the 

 spot the winds did not seem to be '\getting in their work" 

 properly and there was no inclination to jnmp. 



Bnt legends and levity both aside. Blowing Rock is 

 prodigal with flowers and 'Mnnshrooms. " To one who 

 visits the place in Jnne the profnsion of thickets painted 

 with RJiododc 11 (irons and Kaluiias are a ''jo}- forever." 

 Later in the season "Black-eyed Snsans " wink at yon here 

 and there, and varions species of interesting Orchids are 

 freqnently met with. Eiipatoriuuis and other vigorous 

 growers vie with each other in their effort to hide the fences 

 which line the roads or cross the fields. 



The great prodigality of the fleshy fungi tempted the 

 writer, during portions of two short months, to form the 

 beginning of a closer acquaintance with the Hynueiioiny- 

 cetes than had been gained from a general study of struc- 

 ture and relationships. Accordingly collections were made 

 of fungi chiefly in this group. Not wishing to be 

 encumbered with books, no efforts were made at the time 

 to identify the specimens. A few notes were taken on the 

 more evanescent characters, the specimens were then dried 

 and preserved for future determination. 



The greater number of the Hyiuoiouiycetes were after- 

 ward determined b}' Mr. A. P. Morgan. Dried agarics are 

 very difficult of determination and it is a matter of some 

 interest that more than half of the .loaiicacccc were in a 

 recognizable condition, thouj^h some <;ienera like Cortina- 

 rius were complete failure: 



'S. 



