RAMBLES IN THE GREEN FIELDS IN WHIT-WEEK. 16. 
Ustilago longissima Tulasne. It was on the bank of the river. 
After I had succeeded in securing a few blades of grass, thus in- 
fected, I found the patience of my friend becoming exhausted, I 
had to rise up and leave, very reluctantly, the interesting spot. 
On the Wednesday, I had an opportunity of devoting a few 
hours to another ramble in the fields. This time I went alone 
near the river Mersey, south of Didsbury, and in a comparatively 
short time I gathered a considerable quantity of the beautiful 
Uromyces tntrusa, Lev. ‘This interesting leaf fungus may be found 
every summer in moderate quantity in the same locality. The 
plant upon which it grows is the well-known Lady’s Mantle, A/che- 
milla vulgaris, Linn. ‘The fungus is of a bright orange colour, on 
the under side of the leaf of the plant, and is easily found. 
On the following day, Thursday, I resolved to devote the time 
to the bank where I had met with the Ustilago longissima, so I set 
out alone pretty early for Northenden. I had a pleasant walk 
there, and soon found myself recumbent on the bank, fully at work, 
and with the exception of the time devoted to necessary refresh- 
ment and travel, I spent the entire day on this bank, moving from 
place to place included in extent to about a hundred yards, and 
the result of this labour was about fifty or sixty blades of grass 
infected by the coveted parasite.* When it is remembered that 
every blade of grass had to be examined as I moved along, it will 
be easy to understand the small space I covered during the labour 
of the day ; at any rate, I came home quite satisfied with the result 
of my labour. 
As I found, on Friday morning, I should have another oppor- 
tunity of being at Urmston, I resolved to try again to meet with the 
Sorrel smut. The occasion which took me there was a private 
pic-nic in the meadows. From time to time I had opportunities 
of getting away from my friends and poring over the plants, and I 
succeeded in finding three more specimens of the Sorrel ustilago. 
I have been induced to prepare these notes of field rambles in 
order to show my junior brother scientific students what may be 
done if there bea will. It is not enough to walk on and takea 
general view of the plants as you go, but there must be a personal 
careful examination, and then you will not go unrewarded. 
THOMAS BRITTAIN. 
* The Ostilago longissima ruptures the cuticle of the grass in longitudinal 
lines, and has somewhat the appearance of ink-strokes that have been made by 
a ruler. 
The Sorrel ustilago attacks the fertile organs, and ultimately fills up the calyx 
with a mass of spores, blackening the stalks and other tissues, —T.B. 
