125 



enumeration of some 2,850 plants, and is embellished by 2,700 wood 

 engravings, which latter were obtained from the Coutinent, having 

 previously done duty in the works of Dodon.eus, Lobel, and Clasius. It is to 

 this edition I would direct your attention. The editor, hosvever, cannot be 

 complimented either upon his acquaincance with fungology, nor upon his good 

 services in advancing his study ; indeed, rather he seems to have done all that 

 lay in his power to deter students from entering upon this field of inquiry. 

 It is however, interesting to see what species were mentioned in an English 

 work of such an early date. Although the most ot them are totally devoid of 

 any intelligible description, yet we are able to recognise a few readily enough 

 by the fi-ures that are given. The first fungus of which mention is made can 

 scarcely be credited to the knowledge of the times. Chapter 57 is devoted to 

 "Burnt Come," and narrates the ravages of TiUetia caries amongst barley, 

 oats and rye, commencing in the following words : " Hordeum ustum or 

 Ustila-o hordei is that burnt and blasted bariey which is altogether unprofit- 

 able and good for notiiing else, an enemy unto corne, for that instead of an 

 ear with corne there is nothing but black dust which spoUeth bread and what- 

 soever is made thereof." It is accompanied by tliree engravings of blighted 

 ears of the before-mentioned plante. 



The 167th chapter of the 3rd Book is especiaUy devoted to mushrooms or 

 toadstools, and opens with these portentous words :— 



" Many wantons that dwell near the sea, and have fish at will, are very 

 desirous for change of diet to feed upon the birds of the mountains, and such 

 as dweU upon the hill or champion grounds do long after sea-fish. Many that 

 have plenty of both do hunger after the earthly excrescences caUed mush- 

 rooms, whereof some are very venomous and full of poison ; others not so 

 noisome, and neither of them very wholesome meat." 



The four figures representing " common mushrooms to be eaten" are none 

 of such a character as to admit of recognition without an element of doubt. 

 The third may, however, be Agaricus nebularis, and indeed is not very un- 

 like GreviUes plate. No. 9 of Agaricus turgidus. No. 2 is obviously a 

 Clavaria possibly C. botrytis. No. 4 seems to include more than one species 

 of agaric, and if we might venture a guess, perhaps the artist has attempted 

 the delineation of Hygrophorus pratensis. Of figures 5 and 6 I have nothing 



to say. 



Figure 7, which is the representation of Fungus sambucinum sive auricula 

 judie, it a very fan- representation of the Jewe's-ears. Indeed Gerarde seems 

 to value these more than any of the others on account of their medicinal 

 value, " they being used against inflammation and other soreness of the throat, 

 being'boUed in milk." We certainly have never seen them used ourselves in 

 such cases, but it does not seem irrational to suppose that the gelatinous prm 

 ciple of which they are composed might have an emoUient action when appHed 

 topicaUy to an inflamed throat. Coming now to the poisonous fungi, fig. 

 viu. represents some Pholiotta, most probably A%. Muscarius, but by far the 



