Distribution of Fungi. Cyall 
it incumbent on the observer to carry on his researches on the 
living plants where they happen to grow. Such, T believe, are. 
the principal circumstances which deter mycologists of the pre- 
sent day from the study of the higher Fung); for, so far as regards 
the determination of specific forms, it may without fear of con- 
tradiction be maintained that it is more easy in their case than. 
in that of other Cryptogamia. 
The most certain means of obviating the diceubie pointed, 
out is to make a collection of faithfully drawn and coloured 
figures, which may compensate for the absence of actual speci- 
mens; and, in fact, no division of the Cryptogamia is so tho- 
roughly illustrated in books as that of the higher Fungi. It is 
a point of the greatest interest to science that the original draw- 
ings of the figures contained in the works of L’Ecluse and Ster- 
beeck should be most carefully preserved, and it is most gratifying 
to learn from M. Kickx that thisisdone. These drawings are to 
be seen in the library of Brussels. The published figures are 
not coloured, and owing to this it often becomes impossible to 
identify specimens with certainty. The same defect obtains in 
the plates of the treatises of Micheli, Buxbaum, and Battara; 
and of other writers prior to Scheffer. The work of the last- 
named author, entitled ‘Icones Fungorum qui in Bavaria et 
Palatinata circa Ratisbonam nascuntur’ (1762-1774), must 
be still esteemed of eminent value in all that relates to the 
higher Fungi. Among other illustrated works of importance 
are those of Batsch, Bolton, Bulliard, Sowerby, &c.; and a con- 
siderable number of useful figures is contained in some works of 
a more general character, such as the ‘ Flora Danica,’ the ‘ Flora 
Austriaca’ of Jacquin, and in many others of less note. 
With respect to synonyms, it must be confessed that the au- 
thors just cited, and Persoon himself, have not.taken time to 
study carefully the labours of their predecessors, but have more 
frequently described as new every form they have met with, ex- 
cept some of the most common and well-known species. The 
synonymy of this class has therefore been largely added to; and 
it is only in the ‘Systema Mycologicum’ and in the ‘ Epicrisis 
Systematis Mycologici’ (works by my father) that a complete 
history of the older literature of the subject is to be met 
with. 
The following observations given by Fries in a foot-note ap- 
pear to us to deserve a place here, inasmuch as they explain the 
grand outline of his principles of classification, and furnish a 
key to the right understanding of the divisions and groups of 
Fungi hereafter spoken of :— 
_ The most diverse forms are brought together under the ge- 
“neral appellation of Fungi. Adopting the mode of fructification 
