1906-1907.] Hints on the Study of Hepatic s. 347 



would rank high in the estimation of fungologists. It belongs 

 to the democracy of the fungus world : it is poor, yet honest, 

 for it makes no pretence to be other than what it seems. It 

 does not deceive the confiding, and Dr "Watson acknowledged 

 that some of the most beautiful mushrooms are not so good as 

 they look. The Agaricus campestris is the backbone of the 

 fungus world, but we shall only be doing justice all round, 

 from the kingly Morel down to the plain Agaric, if we agree 

 that each and all are entitled to our respect and esteem 

 according to the virtues they possess. 



I have in these few scattered words tried to convey some 

 of the many points of interest that permeate the fungus world. 

 Time will not permit further examination into the many 

 phenomena still unmentioned. It is sufficient to say that I 

 have only touched on the threshold of the subject. Volumes 

 are required to embrace all the phases that could be mentioned, 

 but I hope I have indicated, in a general way, enough to show 

 that the oft -despised mushroom has beauties and interests 

 worthy the attention of the earnest student. His reward 

 will be great, and a chief incentive is the fact that so little 

 is known or only conjectural, and that so much remains to be 

 discovered. I have touched on some of the more notable 

 phenomena, but the greatest of all is our ignorance regarding 

 them. 



[The accompanying Plate of the mushroom-beds at Gilmerton 

 is from a photograph by Dr Davies, taken in the cave by 

 means of the magnesium light.] 



III.— HINTS ON THE STUDY OF HU PA TICS 



By Mr SYMEES M. MACVICAE, Corresponding Member. 



(Read Dec. 19, 1906.) 



As students frequently find it difficult to learn how to begin 

 the study of hepatics, a few remarks on the subject may be 

 found useful. Hepaticae are, broadly speaking, divided into 

 two sections, frondose species and foliose or leafy species, the 



