118 



Most of the commoner and better known species were represented by Wed- 

 nesday evening, but one group of fungi puzzled all ; it was a large composite mass 

 of Agarics from a cellar, with the exact odour of the true Mushroom, and it was 

 authoritatively labelled Agaricus campestris, hut the gills were very adnate (not 

 free), and it had not the annulus of A. campestris : added to this the true Musli- 

 room does not grow in a fasciculate manner. The probability is that the group 

 belonged to a highly erratic gi'owth oi Agaricus lacri/mabundus, but the plants did 

 not wholly accord with this or any other species described by Fries. The uncom- 

 mon puff-ball, Lycopcrdon saccatum, was on the table with Peziza macropus, P. 

 aurantia, and the extraordinary prolific variety of P. coehleata, described and 

 illustrated by Mr. Berkeley, in last year's Gardener's Chronicle. Trichospernia 

 chrysosperma was exhibited, and Russula nigricans and R. adusta were shown 

 side by side. 



Thursday was the Club day, when the lawns of Sufton Court, and the 

 woody recesses of Backbury Hill, close by, were hunted over with remarkable suc- 

 cess, for though the specimens of fungi were few in numbers, yet they were uncom- 

 monly good as species. The first piece of good fortune fell to Mr. Broome, for by 

 a trench side he lighted on a choice and prolific piece of wet and greasy rotten rag. 

 On this tliere was a splendid crop of Ascobolus carneus which Mr. Broome lovingly 

 placed in a small sandwich-box for proper security. Agaricus strangulatus was 

 one of the first species found, next A. (Eccilia) atropunctus (which, by the way, we 

 do not see in Dr. Cooke's new Clavis), then the variety lacmus of Hygrophorus 

 subradiatus, the new A. innocuiis once more, and Agaricus sulfureus, with its 

 strong smell of gas-water or carbolic acid. The vegetable beefsteak (Fistidina 

 hepaticaj was common on the oaks, distilling and wasting its rich drops of inviting 

 and luscious gravy on the unappreciative grass. The specimens were often 

 tenderly examined by Dr. Bull, but he pronounced them, one and all, to be hardly 

 " ripe enough " for the table ; these " beefsteaks " are like some game, best when 

 they are a little "high." 



The edible Agaricus nebularis was fortunately very abundant, and a few 

 specimens of Boletus (Bull-eat-us, as some write it) edulis were lighted on. Of 

 truffles, two were raked out by the rakers, probably a Tuber and Hymcnogaster. 

 The curious Agaricus cucumis, with its strange smell of stale herrings (cucumbers, 

 according to Fries), and Thelephora fastidiosa, with its horrid smell of a putrid 

 carcase. Amongst specimens found worthy of note may be mentioned, Cyphella 

 galeata ; the rich orange Peziza onotica ; and the yellow and brown leporina and 

 badia; Helvella elastica and lacunosa; Agaricus Candolleanus, unicolor, umbrosus, 

 obscurus, dryinus, geophyllus, white and blue ; the great black balls known as 

 Hypoxylon concentricum, and hard black clubs known as Xylaria polymorpha, and 

 an Irpex of uncertain name. Marasmius erythropus was found in many places. 

 On the top of Backbury Hill, from which there is a view of almost unsuri^assed 

 beauty, there is a large ditched camp, and a large section of the exploring party 

 went over this position, under the kind guidance of Richard Hereford, Esq., who 

 explained the botany and geology of the entire district, pointed out a number of 



