NEW PTTBLICATI0N3. 129 
under surHice of wliicli is covered with a parasitic Fvnigus {Puccinia 
Anemones), which looks so like the spores of a Tern that it deceived 
Bobart, in whose herbarium it existed with this inscription, "'This 
capillary was gathered by the Conjurer of Chalgrave/', and deceived 
Dillenius, who figured Bobart's specimen on this third plate, and gave 
it the accurate descriptive designation, " Filixlobata, globulis pulveru- 
lentisundique aspersa." Mr. Cooke gives us the following information 
on this Piiccinia : — " This is one of the earliest and commonest species. 
Go wherever the wood Anemone abounds, and from March to May it 
will not be difficult to find attenuated sickly-looking leaves, with the 
under surface covered with the pustules of this brand/' And after re- 
ferring to the notice in Ray, he continues, " When, afterwards, it was 
better understood, and the spots came to be regarded as true parasitic 
Fungi, it still for along time^continued to bear the name, not even yet 
forgotten, of the Conjurer of Clialgrave's Fern. An examination of 
the spores under a high power will show the two cells to be nearly sphe- 
rical and deeply constricted. The surface of the spore is minutely and 
beautifully echinulate." He adds, "It will be fruitlesfi looking for it 
on the large foliaceous bracts of the flower-stalk, since these may be 
turned up carefully till the back aches "with stooping, ere a solitary 
pustule will be found ; but the true leaves, proceeding from the rhi- 
zoiues, are certain soon to afford specimens." 
It is gratifying to meet with a charming volume of pleasant reading, 
devoted to a class of plants which few botanists consider as anything 
else than pests and eyesores, disfiguring the plants they are collecting. 
Of all the divisions of the Cryptogamia, Fungi have had the fewest stu- 
dents ; wdiilst the larger species, from their peculiar forms, rapid growth, 
or disagreeable odour, have drawn to them the attention of some, a still 
fewer number have ever looked at the microscopic forms. We could 
count on the fingers of one hand, the names of the living Bxitish fun- 
gologists who have done anything with the smaller forms. But, like 
every other natural-history pursuit, this only requires a beginning. 
And it is not too much to hope that with this capital elementary intro- 
duction to one set of them — the rusts, smuts, mildews, and moulds 
we shall find growing up amongst us a numerous class of fungological 
students. Of the many microscopes that are everywhere at work, a few 
migut here and there be advantageously directed to these neglected 
plants. The student would have the satisfaction of knowing that he 
