4i8 Crossland : Fungus Foray at Castle Howard. 



growth of the ordinary mushroom has suffered from the same 

 cause. 



Weather influences notwithstanding, it is almost certain 

 that some uncommon species or another will turn up at each 

 foray. The noble Agaricus augiistus = P sal iota augusta was 

 met with ; while not found plentifully in Britain, it constantly 

 is here. It has several Yorkshire records. In Sweden it is 

 common on old, deserted ant-hills. Query— Ca.n it be culti- 

 vated in a conidial condition by the ants, and when these 

 intelligent and diligent insects desert old nests, the fungus is 

 left to its own resources, complete its life cycle ? 



There was variety if not quantity. Rarely are eleven species 

 of Pholiota found at one foray, or eight species of Amanita, 

 or sixteen of Hygrophorus ; of the latter, pratensis and conicus 

 were very abundant. Collyhia radical a was extremely common, 

 and in great variety in size and appearance. So with Lepiota 

 procera, at least half-a-dozen forms could have been selected 

 from the tables which inexperienced students might easil}' 

 have taken for distinct species ; the principal difference being 

 in the markings on the stems, and the manner in which the outer 

 envelope of the sporophore in its infant stage had been broken 

 up during subsequent development. 



A. phalloides was one of the eight species of Amanita, the 

 most poisonous agaric Hkely to be gathered by inexperienced 

 fungus hunters. 



Two or three specimens of a whitish, branched, white-spored 

 Clavaria, which does not fit any published description, were 

 brought in. It has been thought best to hold this over awhile 

 to see if further specimens are discovered before publishing a 

 diagnosis, should it prove to be new. It is allied to C. um- 

 brinella. The specimens are in the care of Mr. A. D. Cotton 

 at the Kew Herbarium. 



Space cannot be afforded for a tithe of the numerous in- 

 teresting notes which might have been written concerning many 

 of the fungi collected. 



Twenty-two myxomycetes were noted, some being in great 

 profusion in both plasmodia and mature conditions ; prob- 

 ably the well-wooded district and quantity of decaying wood 

 accounts for their prevalence. A mass of Fuligo varians left the 

 rotting wood on which it was brought in, and found its way 

 during the night on to a plate, where it ripened out. 



All the necessary apparatiis in the shape of books, micros- 



n 



