Dec, 1922.] Weiss & West: Insects of a Moist Woods. 175 



confined to any particular group. Only one fern, the sensitive fern 

 {Onoclea sensibilis) , which occurs in patches in wet places, was ever a 

 conspicuous element. 



Among the fungi most of the conspicuous forms belonged to the 

 Polyporacese and Agaricacese in the order Agaricales. Much of the 

 dead wood was occupied by such forms as Polyporus versicolor, P. 

 pargamcHHs, Dccdalia qnercina and similar coriaceous species through- 

 out the year. Of the soft fleshy plants in the Agaricaceae, those be- 

 longing to the genera Plciirotns, Phiiciis, Riissida, Laciarius, Col- 

 lybia and Clitocybe were the most conspicuous during the summer 

 months. 



The Thicket. 



The flora of the thicket was less sharply divided into groups than 

 that of the woods but there were again present the trees, shrubs 

 and herbs. In this area the fungus flora was negligible. As will be 

 noted many of the characteristic plants of the tree and shrub groups 

 in the woods held correspondingly important places here. The her- 

 baceous flora presented an entirely new series with the exception of 

 a few vernal plants. 



The most important tree element in the thicket was the gray birch 

 (Betula populifoUa) which contributed about one third of the woody 

 plants. The red maple {Acer riibriim) and the oaks (Quercus rubra, 

 Q. palustris, Q. alba) followed next in importance and were the 

 forerunners of the woods to follow. Patches of young sweet gums 

 and a generous sprinkling of elm (Ulmiis americana) completed the 

 major tree elements. 



The shrubs in the thicket did not contrast greatly with the trees 

 due to the large number of individuals of the latter group present. 

 However dwarf sumach (Rhus copalliiia) , a typical shrub, was second 

 numerically only to the gray birch among the woody plants. Almost 

 impenetrable patches of blackberry (Riibiis alleghensis) occupied the 

 open spaces and green brier (Sniilax rotnndifolia) the more shaded 

 places. There were also several large areas covered with hazelnut 

 (Corylus americana). Three patches in almost pure stand of Camus 

 paniculatus were conspicuous in late spring for their white flowers 

 and during the winter for their groups of slender wiry stems. These 

 five species included at least half the individuals among the shrubs. 



