Journal of Proceedings. liii 



fungi being sweet and nutty to the taste, others bitter and highly 

 pungent. 



Professor Maxime Cornu, who was very cordially received, and who 

 spoke in French, said he felt much flattered by the honour they had 

 done him. He was very charmed to be able to be present at such a 

 pleasant reunion of London botanists. In his opinion, meetings of the 

 kind had the greatest scientific interest independently of their social 

 and friendly character. He hoped, on his return, to initiate similar 

 meetings in Paris, and he need not say that any he savv' around him. 

 would find a hearty welcome there. 



A few practical observations on fungus hunting were made by Mr. 

 Howse and Mr. Holmes, time forbidding any further extended remarks, 

 and then the party sallied forth to catch the train at the Loughton 

 Station. Shining like " a good deed in a naughty world," our leader's 

 entomological lanthorn signalled the way through the almost im- 

 penetrable darkness, and enabled us to steer our course without much 

 discomfort. Mr. Smith records some of the conversation of the 

 experts as they trudged through the Essex lanes. In reference to the 

 darkness, M. Cornu said that Dr. Quelet could recognize several 

 species of Hydnum in the dark by merely squeezing the hymenial 

 surface between his fingers and noting the amount of moisture exuded. 

 Someone else said he could always make out Phallus impiidicus in the 

 dark, even without touching it, and Mr. English said he always knew 

 the poisonous Russula emetica from any other species because the red 

 colour of the pileus invariably got washed out and dissolved over the 

 gills by his hot wax process — a character, so far as he knew, peculiar 

 to this species. He also said 7?. emetica turns brownish-black in drying. 

 These characters (if they are to be relied upon) are very valuable, as 

 no species is more difficult to make out with certainty than R. emetica, 

 its characters being closely " mimiced " by several other red Russtdas, 

 said Mr. Smith. The rain holding off for a brief space, and friendly 

 converse so beguiling the time, all ended happily, and the last Field 

 Meeting of the season is, in everything but the weather, a pleasant 

 memory. 



[In penning the last gossiping report, the Hon. Secretary cannot 

 refrain from taking the opportunity of publicly thanking all friends, 

 scientific and others, to whose kind aid and encouragement the success 

 of the first series of these pleasant gatherings has been mainly due. In 

 spite of bad weather, the interest taken in them by the members has 

 never waned, and we may hope that the next season's meetings will 

 profit from the legacy of pleasant recollections bequeathed by those 

 of 1880.] 



