144 
A Boring “Pong Soran” in the 
dpe? tonts. 
‘“‘Half-past ten sharp!” were the last words we remember hearing on 
Wednesday evening, the 13th of May, 1875; not an unreasonably early time, but 
yet, from some unexplained cause, we awoke at a very early hour the following 
morning, and there came over us dreamy visions of many exceedingly pleasant 
fungus forays made in the sombre autumnal months in the vicinity of Hereford,— 
incidentally occurred to us the choice species which either were sent to the Show, 
or were met with during the Excursions : then came the reminiscences of locality : 
the exact spots where such plants first met our eye : this naturally led us to medi- 
tate upon the kindness and hospitality of our friends, and if we were not loud in 
the protestation of our thanks, yet perhaps we felt all the more deeply how much 
we were indebted to them. In due time the appointed hour arrived, and we found 
ourselves, a party of six, on our way to Whitfield, discussing alternately the 
beauties of the landscape and numerous mycological questions, such as men 
coming from distant places, all working at the same subject, would naturally be 
only too eager to propound to their friends. The idea of a vernal raid in the 
Whitfield Woods was in itself somewhat a novel one, especially as the Club has 
up to the present confined itself almost entirely to the Autumnal Hymenomy- 
cetis. Reaching our destination about 11 o’elock, the first object which attracted 
our attention was a luxuriant growth of Colchicum Autumnale; the dark green 
leaves of which were searched in yain, however, for Urocystis Colchici, Tue. The 
party then proceeded to the Gardens, and viewed in passing, the Camellia House, 
where one or two specimens of Pestalozzia Gucpini, Desm. were gathered. After 
admiring the Salisburia tree, which was just unfolding its peculiar cruciform 
leaves, the majority made for the wood walk: being without our leader, of course 
we missed our way, but what matters it in such a locality where mycological 
treasures abound at every step. On arriving at the open, the first find of erypto- 
gamic interest was the Ophioglosswm, the interest of which our Hereford friends 
seemed somewhat to undervalue, because it is so common in the district. On one 
of the fine old oaks were detected some splendid specimens of Hysterium pulicare : 
the minute elongated and black perithecia of which, nestling amongst the grey 
lichens, suggested to Barsoon its similarity to Pulex irritans. While gathering 
these, we were called by the Entomologist to witness a combat between a fine 
