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least important was a single specimen of Agaricus (Lepiota) holoscnceus ; this 

 plant, we believe, has only once before been found in Great Britain, and then 

 by the Eer. M. J. Berkeley. We observed a few edible species, as A. prunufus, 

 A. procerus, A, nebulari$, A. dealbatus, Boletus impolHus, A. campestris, Hy- 

 grophorus virginms, Coprinus comatus, and several other of the more ordinary 

 species. 



The other two collections were so much smaller that it needs only to be 

 said, that the one exhibited by J. K. Eeeves, Esq., F.R.S., was shown to 

 much greater advantage than any other. The funguses were arranged in the 

 baskets in which they came, which of course could be easily done with a 

 small number. It contained some very fine specimens of A, nictitans, A, 

 tuhirwolutus, Agaricus procerus, and A. rachodes; some brilliant Fly Agarics, 

 A. muscarius, and a very interesing specimen of the Cordkcps opliioglossoides 

 growing parasitically on an Elaphomyces. There were also one or two speci- 

 mens, far advanced in decay, of the Giant puff-ball, Lycoperdon giganteum, 

 not shown in the other collections. 



It was very remarkable, and proves in itself the great peculiarity of the 

 season, that there was not a single specimen exhibited either of the common 

 Agaricus (Amanita) ruhescens, Ag. ( TricMoma) personatus, or Boletus edulis ; 

 and Russula rubra alone represented the large family to which it belongs. 



Mr. J. Aubrey Clarke, however, sent one species (and a veiy handsome 

 one, too) quite new to this country, viz., Hydnum nigrum. It is allied to 

 our common B. repandum, but is purple in colour, and confined to fir woods. 

 The latter gentleman also sent a collection of spores of funguses preserved 

 upon paper in a very copious and beautiful manner, for future reference. 

 They looked like admirable photographs, but on being placed under a powerful 

 lens the spores were quite distinct, preserved, as they were, under a thin 

 film of collodion. 



Mr. English, of Epping, also exhibited a group of preserved fahgnses, 

 gathered in Epping Forest. The fresh plants are coated with an exceedingly 

 thin film of virgin wax, and then coloured to imitate nature. Opinions differ 

 a great deal in respect of the value and efficiency of this process, as the 

 characters of many funguses are so fugitive as to be entirely destroyed by 

 either wax or paint : it does well to preserve some of the more rigid and course 

 species, but is, of course, useless with all our fragile and ephemeral funguses. 



Around the room were displayed 40 large water-colour drawings of Edible 

 and Poisonous funguses, very beautifully executed by Worthington G. Smith, 

 Esq., F.L.S., from the South Kensington Museum, and on the tables were 

 placed copies of many beautifully illustrated books on Fungology. 



Many of the rarest of the Funguses shewn in London are exhibited here 

 to-day and have doubtless attracted your attention. (Applause), 



The next paper was 



