120 



After dinner there was the usual soiree at the house of Mr. Thomas Cam, 

 this gentleman, as usual, kindly throwing his house open to every Woolhopian 

 interested in abstruse fungological matters. Here Dr. Cooke read a learned paper 

 on the genus Corticium, followed by some remarks on Peziza crucifera, by Mr. 

 Phillips : this species has recently been described and figured in the Gardeners^ 

 Chronicle by Mr. Phillips, and an attempt was made to extinguish the plant as a 

 species by Dr. Cooke. The discussion at the soirie gave the outsiders a good in- 

 sight into scientific sparring. Mr. Phillips skilfully put himself on his defence, 

 and coolly and adroitly defended every vulnerable point of his "crucifera." Dr. 

 Cooke (after declaring his undying friendship for Mr. Phillips) then made thrust 

 after thrust, and crucified " eru«/c»'(i. " "It mustn't, it couldn't, it shouldn't be 

 a species," said he. He cut the species in every direction, he hit it, he bit it, and 

 then suddenly gave his assailant a foul and severe blow under the belt, for he said 

 the first shower would wash all the " crucifera " out of the species by dissolving 

 the "crystals." 



At this point INIr. C. B. Plowright came to the rescue of his friend Phillips, 

 who was certainly badly winded, by saying that water does not readily dissolve 

 crystals of oxalate of lime, and that " crucifera " was at any rate as good as hund- 

 reds of other species which suddenly jump into existence. Mr. Phillips, having 

 recovered his breath, made a few more very skilful lunges, and both assailants 

 agreed that each had had the best of it. Poor " crucifera " has no doubt lived 

 peacefully for thousands of years, and now what a fight there is about his little 

 crystals ! Whilst this was going on the ' ' honorary chaplain " was very properly 

 describing the virtues of his '47 port and Yquem Sauternes to the writer. The 

 Eev. J. E. Vize then made some remarks. It will be remembered that Mr. Vize 

 is the famous author of iEcidium depauperans ; he has now left the study of this 

 horrid depauperised species, and studied an ally of a totally different nature ; its 

 name indicates its appearance, viz., jEcidium ornamentale. The former was a 

 parasite on Violets, the latter now preys on the Acacia, and although the latter 

 parasite may be very " ornamentale " to the eye of an ardent fungologist, it will 

 never be "ornamentale" to any horticulturist. The author of Peronosporites 

 antiquorum W. Sm., was then asked to say something, but he declined. He 

 wants to live in peace. So for once that half-dozen young slashers and pro- 

 fessors who are always ready to worry and tear and declare everything some one 

 else sees or says to be "pure imagination," were disappointed. Antiquorum in- 

 tends to watch the fights of others in future, and keep his own skin whole if 

 possible : it is only hoped that both sides won't come down upon him over poor 

 "crucifera." 



THE LAST DAT. 



Friday was the last of the fungus-gatherings, and Ludlow and Downton 

 Castle grounds were appointed for the day's exploration. The fungus-eaters left 

 Hereford by rail at 9.15 a.m., and such was the hurry to be off to time that one 

 gentleman went off without his boots, and did not perceive that he was running 

 in his thin slippers till he had nearly reached the railway station, he then ran 



