ESSEX FIELD CLUB's FUNGUS FORAY." 167 



Take three species common in the Forest — Amanita niuscavia, 

 Armillaria niellea, and Boletus scaber — each of which recurs in a 

 given locaHty, when, for want of a more exact term, we may say 

 conditions are favourable. Having selected a site where the 

 fungus is present in abundance, take monthly, or, still better, 

 fortnightly measurements of the temperature of the soil at a 

 depth of six inches below the surface ; humidity of the soil — if 

 possible, the proportion of humic acid in the soil — also general 

 atmospheric conditions as to temperature and moisture. 



If the above suggestions could be followed out for, say, ten 

 years, supplemented, as a matter of course, by the relative 

 annual crop of fungi growing within the experimental area, some 

 inkling, at least, of certain of the conditions that collectively 

 determine the presence or absence of different species of fungi 

 would be arrived at ; such would rank as pioneer work on a 

 subject where everything has yet to be done, and which will be 

 done some day ; hence, why not by members of the Essex Field 

 Club? 



Returning to the subject of the Foray, a pleasing feature — 

 as a set-oflf to what has been stated above — was the presence of 

 members who promise to become important auxiliaries to the 

 already-existing band of mycologists who yearly explore the 

 Forest ; but why the Forest always, or nearly so ? The body 

 inaugurating the foray is the Essex Field Club, and not the 

 Epping Forest Club, as some members residing in other parts of 

 Essex might be led to imagine. 



The display of fungi on the tables was the best that has 

 been seen for many years. Altogether, 134 species were col- 

 lected, including such rarities as Tricholoiiia acerba, Collybia fodiens, 

 C. bibulosa, Nolanea pisciodova, and Torula ovalispora. The presence 

 of the veteran Mycologist, Dr. M.-C. Cooke, was a source of 

 pleasure, combined with instruction, to everyone. 



Finally, we have in Great Britaip just over five thousand 

 species of fungi ; of these about one thousand are Agarics or gill- 

 bearing species, mostly appearing during the autumn months, 

 and considered by the majority of people as constituting the 

 whole of our Fungus flora. For this reason, probably, fungus 

 forays are always held in the autumn, when the larger forms are 

 presumed to be present : the result is that the list of species 

 enumerated by those societies that countenance a foray is rich in 

 Agarics and allied forms, but miserably defective in the remain- 



