65 
He did not know of any one who accepted what had been wittily called the mole- 
cular theory, and he doubted whether any of the members were convinced of the 
correctness of the explanation given to them thatevening. For his own part, he 
still held to the belief that fairy rings were formed by the spreading outward of 
the mycelium of the fungi from a centre. Within the last few days he had seen 
a very remarkable instance of the correctness of this theory in the park of Lord 
Saye and Sele, at Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire. He handed to Mr. Lees a rude 
pencil sketch of this fairy ring, which was of large size, and was evidently in the 
process of enlargement. It is made up of a great number of concentric rings, the 
course of which is marked here and there by single fungi, the last survivors in the 
ancient seats of their race ; but the rings are being gradually obliterated towards 
the centre by the growth of darker grass. There is a considerable growth of fungi 
of the outer edge of the ring, which is complete with the exception of a space of 
about a foot at the west side. The fungi were all of one species. He mentioned 
this, because it was the latest fact of the kind which he had met with, but in 
former years he had met with many similar cases in the neighbourhood of Here- 
ford, at Canon Moor, Burcott, Lyde, &c., in none of which were there any traces 
of the mole’s action. Then, too, as to the disappearance of fungi. He knew of 
cases in which Agaricus comatus and A. procerus had come up regularly near the 
same spot for years past, and he could always calculate safely on finding various 
species of Lycoperdon, Clavaria, and other genera of fungi in particular places. 
No doubt there are instances of the disappearance of plants, fungi as well as 
flowering plants, but he did not think that they could be traced to any one cause 
or set of causes (applause). 
The discussion here closed, the remaining papers being reserved to be read 
at the soiree, to which the President and members were invited by Mr. Cam, 
