FRED. J. SEAVER. 



We present on the front page a photograph' of a rising young 

 American mycologist, who gives promise of doing good work in con- 

 nection with the subject. Mr. Seaver was graduated from Miami Uni- 

 versity, and his attention was first drawn to the fungus subject by 

 Dr. Fink. His first work in connection with the subject was a pub- 

 lication on the Discomycetes of Iowa, in 1904, in the Bulletin from 

 the Laboratories of Natural History, Iowa. The Discomycetes is a 

 section of American mycology that has only been well worked up 

 in part by Prof. Durand. The greater part of it is still in a chaotic 

 condition. Mr. Seaver's work on the Iowa species is really the only 

 good, systematic account we have, and his work only embraced a few 

 species. In this paper, Mr. Seaver is to be commended for using the 

 established names. Shortly before his paper appeared, an article on 

 the same subject relating to the Cincinnati species was published by 

 Morgan. It was one of Morgan's last papers. It was, from beginning 

 to end, simply a name juggle. Unfortunately, during the latter years 

 of his life Morgan seemed to have become infatuated with this method 

 of seeking notoriety. Therefore, much to Mr. Seaver's credit, he did 

 not in a single instance, in his Iowa work, follow this line. Mr. 

 Seaver is specializing on the Discomycetes and is engaged, we under- 

 stand, in reviewing the subject for the North American Flora. We 

 hope he will be conservative in his work for his ow r n sake and for 

 American mycology. 



ADDITIONAL NOTES ON GORDYCEPS. 



I am particularly interested in Cordyceps. They are most 

 curious plants, usually developed from the bodies of some insect, 

 larva, or pupa. I trust any one who finds specimens will favor me 

 by simply drying and sending them to my address. The host should 

 always be dried and sent with the Cordyceps attached. If the species 

 is small and several are found, I should like a liberal collection. The 

 tropical species are very imperfectly known. 



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