This pamphlet is intended chiefly as an arrangement of the species, but we have 

 given notes of the distinctive characters, history and distribution, which we hope 

 will enable others to identify the plants they meet. At the same time we believe 

 that species can only be learned from specimens, and that the simplest way is to 

 send the specimens and have them named, and with the name known, one can read 

 up and learn the characters and the species much easier than to try to work out 

 their names first. I thought when I wrote the Stipitate Polyporoids it would be 

 practical for collectors to name their stipitate species from it, but it seems to me I 

 have since received more misnamed specimens (evidently from the use of this pam- 

 phlet) than I did before the pamphlet was issued. 



This pamphlet was written about a year ago at Kew, where one has the best 

 facilities for such work, not only the best collection of historical specimens, but the 

 best library, and the most conveniences of every kind. I wish to acknowledge the 

 kindness of Miss E. M. Wakefield for the sketches used in the work and for other 

 aid. 



FIRST GENERAL DIVISION. 



CONTEXT AND PORES WHITE OR PALE WHEN GROWING. 

 SPORES HYALINE. 



We divide them into seven sections, as follows: 



Pileus with thin but distinct crust Section 80. 



Pileus without distinct crust. 



Flesh (dry) fragile, crumbly 81. 



Flesh hard, firm 82. 



Very thin plants 83. 



White, turning reddish in drying 84. 



White, turning bluish in drying 85. 



Flesh dry, soft, and cottony 86. 



Flesh dry, light, and spongy 87. 



SECTION 80. CRUST THIX BUT DISTINCT. 



It having been overlooked in our previous pamphlet, we include here Polyporus quercinus which 

 in our text books is placed next to Polyporus betulinus. It is a stipitate plant, and should have been 

 placed in Section 12, Petaloides. 



A. Flesh firm but fragile. 



POLYPORUS BETULINUS (Fig. 631). Pileus thick, appla- 

 nate, obtuse, attached by a reduced base, or a short stipe, usually 

 about 5-6 inches in diameter, \y 2 to 2 inches thick. Surface with a 

 smooth, thin, pale, separable crust, at length brown. Flesh white, 

 soft, but not friable. Pores minute, round, white, when dry slightly 

 darker than the context, 4-8 mic. long. Spores oblong, 2^ x 6, 

 hyaline, smooth. 



Polyporus betulinus was so well named and figured by Bulliard 

 that there has never been any question about it, and it has been 

 universally known under this name. Of course, we do not count the 

 jugglers who would change it on a technicality. It is very common 

 both in Europe and America on living and dead birch, and on no other 

 host as far as we know. We have seen somewhere a record of its occur- 

 ring on another host, but \ve cannot place it. It seems to be replaced 

 in Australia by Polyporus Eucalyptorum, very similar excepting as to 

 spores. 



293 



