160 THE NORTHERN MICROSCOPIST. 
which are within easy reach, and how, by collecting a few specimens 
of pond life (say on the Saturday excursions connected with the 
Society), the pleasure may be prolonged for an indefinite time, by 
setting up a small aquarium and observing the habits of its 
occupants, 
RAMBLES IN THE GREEN FIELDS IN 
WHIT-WEEK. 
T has generally been my custom to get away from Manchester 
in Whit-week, and thus escape the unpleasant excitement of 
the period, and leave behind me the noisy cry of “Correct card 
of the races,” in which I took not the slightest interest, and all the 
other hub-bub of the week. This last Whit-week certain engage- 
ments compelled me to remain near Manchester, so I resolved to 
utilise what time I could spare to field rambles in search of leaf 
fungi. 
I began by an early trip to the meadows near Urmston, with a 
general look-out, but with no special fungus in view. For a long 
time my labours were fruitless, and I had prepared my mind to 
return home without a single specimen of the plants I was 
looking for. At this moment my attention was directed to the 
fruit-stalks of the Common Sorrel, Rumex acetosa, when I noticed 
the blackness of one of them, and it occured to me that it might 
contain the Ustilago, which is a black smut sometimes found upon 
the anthers or flowers of the plant. On examination, I was pleased 
to find I was correct, and the more so because I had never previ- 
ously been able to meet with this fungus. This lucky find induced 
me to turn my attention for atime to this particular plant only, 
and at the end of my day’s labour I returned home with four 
specimens. In the meadows there were thousands of sorrel, but 
I could not find more than that small number infected with the 
smut. 
I believe the proper name of the fungus is Ustilago antherarum. 
Dr. Cooke does not name the sorrel smut, but refers to others 
growing under similar conditions. 
On a subsequent day (Tuesday) I had a ramble in the fields 
near to Northenden in company with a friend who, not having a 
scientific taste, had little interest in my pursuits. Notwithstanding 
this difficulty, I every now and then stole a few moments to tumble 
down upon my knees and examine the vegetation around me. 
In one of these brief stolen moments I was lucky enough to 
find a rare and interesting fungus on grass, which I have only 
met with once before, and then in very small quantity. It was the 
