NEW PUBLICATIONS. 363 



species is Polyporus Ulicis, Lees, found growing on stumps of gorse. 

 We cannot see that it specifically differs from P. leritus, B., common 

 on stems of Ulex ; the stems of all the allied species are occasionally 

 absent. The next, P. tumidulus. Lees, " Tumpy Polypore," found by 

 the author on the Oak, is unmistakably a description of a young 

 plant of P. quercinus, Fr. ; and Mr. Lees's P . finw-mar(jinatus, found 

 on the Alder, judging from the imperfect description, is probably 

 nothing more than a large form of P. Ribis, Fr. 



The species described in addition to these are thirty-five in number 

 (exclusive of a few belonging to other Orders). So long as the author 

 follows Mr. Berkeley he is correct, but as soon as he goes off on his 

 own account the confusion is melancholy. As an instance, the long 

 paragraph descriptive of Polyporus suaveolens (p. 203) is only so 

 much nonsense, arising from a series of errors and misapprehensions. 

 He says, Berkeley has referred the plant to " Frametes," whereas Fries 

 himself made the alteration Mr. Lees probably intends. In this de- 

 scription the plant meiitioued by Mr. Lees under the synonym of 

 Baedalea suaveolens is peculiar to TFilloivs, and not British, whereas 

 Mr. Lees declares he has found it, and on a Beech. Again, he says 

 it is probable that Polyporus salicinus of Berkeley (meaning Fries) 

 is Polyporus suaveolens (meaning Trametes) become scentless with 

 age, and then his (Berkeley's) Trametes suaveolens (meaning Fries's) 

 may really be the same as Deedalia suaveolens of Fries (meaning Per- 

 soon), which, as we have said before, is not British at all, and is quite 

 different. 



To conclude, Polyporus liyhridus (p. 205) is termed Tree-leather, 

 or Bry Rot ; and the author says, " I believe this is the Fungus that 

 in various states is known as Dry Rot, and is so mischievous to un- 

 seasoned wood." Li transposing Messrs. Berkeley's and Broome's 

 words, Mr. Lees has reversed their meaning. They say distinctly " on 

 Oak" "the dry-rot of our oah-huilt vessels;" thus distinguishing- 

 it from the true "-dry rot" of Fir. Besides, Mr. Lees found his 

 plant on a decayed Pear-tree Q^, so that it is more than doubtful 

 whether he has Polyporus hjhridus in view at all. 



The author briefly returns to his paper in the last volume of the 

 ' Transactions of the VVoolhope Club ' on the subject of fairy-rings, 

 and mole agency, but he must be aware that it is a very old theory, — 

 referred to, amongst others, by Mr. Cooke, in his ' British Fungi,' as 

 louir ago as 1 862. 



