®h(> "SSIoolhopn ftaturalistj)' Jidd djlub. 



MEETING AT HEREFORD, 



Fkidat, Oct. 9, 1868. 



A FORAY AMONG THE FUNGUSES; 



"When Flora's lorelier tribes gire place, 

 The mushroom's scorned but curious race, 

 Bedstead the moist autumnal earth ; 

 A (juick but perishable birth."— £is/iop Mant. 



So few people take any real interest in the beautiful tribe of Agarics — 

 autumn's flowers though they be — and all the other varied and interesting 

 funguses which abound in our fields and woods at this season, that it seemed 

 questionable wliether any attempt to promote their study and their usefulness 

 would meet with success. The subject had been taken up, however, by a few of 

 the leading members of the Woolhope Club for some time past, and the very 

 interesting papers read to the club last year, with the beautiful illustrations that 

 adorn the last volume of the club's Transactions had no doubt prepared the way 

 for their further consideration. Be this as it may, whatever doubt may before 

 have existed, the " Foray amongst the Funguses " carried out by the club has 

 most satisfactoiily removed it. There was a good attendance of members, the 

 weather was favourable, the gi-ounds visited were picturesque, and more than, 

 all perhaps the presence at the meeting of Mr. Edwin Lees and Mr. Worthington 

 G. Smith to name all the funguses found, and answer all questions put to them, 

 which they ilid with a readiness and kindness deserving aU praise, combined 

 together to make the excursion one of the most profitable and pleasant that the 

 club has ever made. It was a day of real work in the field, a d.ay in wliich more 

 progress could bu made in the practical knowledge of the fungus tribes than 

 could be obtained from wet-ks of work with books alone. 



