109 



The evening closed witli warm expressions of thanks to Mr. Cam. 



A brighter morning, albeit colJ and frosty, succeeded on Friday, when, 

 on the kind invitation of Sir George Cornewall, Hon. Sec. of the Club, the 

 President and fifteen mycologists drove out to Moccas, passing over the private 

 bridge, and along the Scotch fir and yew-tree avenue of Mornington walk, 

 and so in due course to Moccas. The noble oaks of the beautiful demesne 

 have been already commemorated by the Club Commissioners ; but it awoke 

 a new delight in those who visited the jiark for the first time to gaze upon 

 oaks that could reckon a cool thousand years of existence, and point to a birth- 

 date earlier than that of the knight who sleeps in the chancel of the excellently 

 restored Norman church. The Tall Oak, the Club Oak, the Moccas Oak, the 

 Weeijing Oak were severally viewed ; but what struck the visitors as much as 

 anj'thing was the great number of healthy giant trees that might be reckoned 

 by tens, though they would have been noteworthy even as units. There were 

 also some remarkable ash, and wj'che elms, and other noble timber trees, 

 which not even the extreme richness of mycological treasures lying beneath 

 and around them could deprive of a large share of the enthusiasm of every 

 visitor. Among the fungi gathered was the rare and beautiful Hygrophorus 

 Calyptrffiformis, and H. Russocoriaceus, so called from its all-pervading 

 odour of Russian leather ; Agaricus (Pleurotis) subpalmatus ; Ag (Entoloma) 

 jubatus ; Clavaria rufa, umbrina, and fusiformis. The " Tall Oak " had 

 many fine specimens of Polyporus Lucidus upon it, alas ! that it should be so. 

 There were foimd, too, Cyphella galeata, on moss ; Sphierobolus stellatus ; 

 Hypoxylos serpens; Sphaeria confluens; the rare Thelephora multizonata, 

 wnich created a sensation in London last year ; and in a decaying oak stick 

 Mr. Berkeley pointed out Tremella sarcoides passing into Bulgaria sarcoides, 

 of which it seems an imperfect state ; besides many other fungi which defy 

 enumeration. 



During greater part of the day the visitors had the advantage of a lovely 

 sunshine ; the bow was seen in the clouds at one period of the afternoon in 

 exceeding brilliancy; and, towards evening, the forked Ughtning, which 

 frequently lit up the dusk of the gathering gloom, did not avail to disturb 

 the satisfaction with which the visitors partook of a handsome and substantial 

 dinner provided for them at Moocas Court, crowning the personal attention 

 and kindness during the day. For all this the President, before quitting the 

 hospitable board, took occasion to express the thanks of the whole party, 

 which about six o'clock proceeded to return to Hereford, Dr. Bull occupying 

 on the back-journey the seat of the President, who was homeward bound. A 

 conversazione at Dr. Bull's wound up the evening, and in effect concluded the 

 gatherings of a week, which, notwithstanding the lateness of the season, and 

 the average unfavourableness of the weather, wiU be remembered with satis- 

 faction and complacency by every Woolhopian who took part in them, and 

 will, we trust, have proved sufficiently attractive and interesting to their guests 

 from other centres to induce them to revisit Hereford on the occasion of other 

 congresses for the same object. 



