148 Transactions British Mycological Society. 



fungi appear in great abundance during a long season extending 

 throughout summer and autumn. The "Marram dunes" are 

 the least productive but, as I have stated before, a number 

 flourish well on these dry loose sand-hills. Existence on the 

 latter is apparently only possible owing to the moisture and 

 nutrition provided by the planted star grass {Ammophila 

 arenaria), of which the roots frequently extend to a great depth 

 in the sand in search of moisture, and also the stems constantly 

 climb upwards to overcome burial in the mobile sand. 



On the outermost hills, the fungi favour the slopes with 

 orientation towards the land, and it would seem that they do 

 not flourish well in the face of the direct sea winds although 

 on the other hand in the sheltered hollows both fungi and 

 lichens thrive in the pure atmosphere which exists there. 



It is worthy of note also tha.t the Inocybes which are so 

 prevalent in the open dunes do not favour the parts planted 

 with conifers to the same extent. The number of species in 

 the Salix-dunes is really remarkable and the quantities even 

 more so, equalling as they do those of old woodlands. The 

 fungus association of the open dunes is quite distinct from that 

 of the planted areas. 



Considerable attention has been devoted to the Oecology of 

 sand-dune plants, but the observations do not seem to have 

 been extended to the fungi. My own work in this direction 

 was interrupted before even the first preliminary floristic 

 survey was completed, and no doubt many species remain to 

 be discovered peculiar to such situations; these are sure to 

 reward careful workers. A general survey of the fungus flora 

 of the dune tracts having been obtained, it is hoped an attempt 

 may be made to follow up the life-history of the numerous 

 curious and interesting species which, at least in Lancashire, 

 appear to be restricted to this formation. 



As a preliminary to continuing investigations outlined above, 

 1 published in 1914 an account of "The Fungi of the Sand-dune 

 Formation of the Lancashire Coast" in which were defined 

 several distinct associations of plants occurring on the dunes, 

 with special reference to the fungi occurring in them, and a 

 list of species was also included. Unfortunately my own 

 removal from the district and the regretliable death of Dr. Ellis 

 suspended active work for a time, but we have recently wel- 

 comed new recruits to the Society who are now continuing the 

 exploration of these dunes, and it is to be hoped their researches 

 will provide matter of interest for some of our future meetings. 



N.B. Water colour drawings of many of the fungi referred 

 to were exhibited during the Foray. 



