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nise, A. scaber having a fibrous, tan-coloiueJ pileus and stein, and A. Car- 

 bonarius a tamiy viscid [lilsus, squamulous stem and clay-coloured gills. This 

 last species often thrusts itself up through the chaicoal as if it had attained a 

 considerable development before showing itself on the surface. Ag. decipiens, 

 which is nearly allied to this species, I have never yet found in Shrop- 

 shire. Passing to the Ascigeous fungi — that is to tho^e which have their 

 sporidia enclosed in asci or sacs— we find several interesting denizens of the 

 charcoal beds. Rhizina undulata has not 1 leen found in Shropshire or Hereford- 

 shire, though said to be not uncommon wliere heath has been burnt down. 

 The genus Peziza is somewhat largely represented. Peziza traehycarpa of Mr. 

 Curry is very common in Shropshire, but owing to its dark colour it requires to 

 be searched for attentively, otherwise it may be overlooked. The sporidia are 

 very beautiful and make an interesting object for the microscojie. P. leiocarpa, 

 Curr, I have never been fortunate enough to find in Shropshire. A large 

 irregular Peziza occurred this autumn on the charcoal beds of the Ercal— an 

 outlier of the Wrekin — which being a rare species requires notice, viz., Peziza 

 piistulata, Pers. Some of the specimens measured one inch across. It is not 

 an uncommon circumstance to find large masses of bright scarlet (.'T dull red on 

 the svu-face of the charcoal, which on close inspection are found to cunsist of a 

 species of Peziza crowded into layers extending to the size of a square foot or 

 more. One of the most common is Peziza Melaloma, A.S.S., but not easily 

 distinguished from some neighbouring sjiecies. P. Omphalodis is another com- 

 mon one appearing in large patches. This is more easily recognised by a whi*^e 

 tomentum generally surrounding its base, v.hich a though fugaceus may be 

 generally found on the younger individuals. A variety of P. Subhirsuta, 

 named by Mr. Cooke Var. Moevocystus, also assumes a crowded growth. I 

 am not quite fatisfied with this sjjecies being referred to subhirsuta, and ven- 

 ture to suggest that it shoiild have a specific rank. P. Setrizospria is not 

 common, but may Ije easily recognised by its smooth :-phierical sporidia and 

 the tendency of the episgrove to split and discharge a nucleus. I now wish to 

 call your attention to a very beautiful Ascobolus, which there is every reason 

 to believe is new to our flora if not new to science. This occurred in company 

 with P. postulata. The whole plant when young is of a dark brown colour, 

 and on maturing the disc becomes nearly black. The sporidia are broadly 

 elliptical and roughly granulated on the exterior. The nearest species to it is 

 that figured by M. Boudier in his excellent monograjjh on this genus under A. 

 vi^ddis (Curr). An interesting tuber, Hynotria Tulasnei (B. and Br.), has 

 occurred once, a single specimen, immatura. The last plant in the list is a 

 minute Sphreria, found on burnt soil in Altringham Park. The ostiolum alone 

 is visible above the surface of the groaind, the perethecium being below, sur- 

 rounded by a densely entangled mass of septate transparent threads. The 

 sporidia are almond shape, black, with a hyaline tip at the lower end. I have 

 not yet been able to identify this with any published species, and should it be 

 new it is projiosed to call it Sph. carbonaria. 



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