In Memoriam: James Needham. 295 
the Mechanics’ Institute, and ‘ Hayward’s Pocket Guide.’ In 
1887 Needham’s colleague discontinued these studies, but he 
himself ‘kept at it’ with keen interest, gradually adding to 
his pile of named dried plants. 
About 1889 the present writer met with him and soon 
- interested him in collecting fungi, as well as mosses and hepatics. 
He proved an excellent and most helpful guide throughout 
his exceedingly rich district, and scores upon scores of times 
have we hunted it together. For many years he never left 
me short of either fungi, mosses, or hepatics to work out at 
home. Whilst compiling the cryptogamic portion of the 
“Flora of the Parish of Halifax,’ Needham’s help was invalu- 
able. The extensive list of fungi owes much of its length to 
his zealous and skilful collecting. These combined investiga- 
tions eventually resulted in the Hebden Bridge portion of the 
parish being worked for its fungi better perhaps than any other 
equal area in the Kingdom with the exception of Kew, and the 
Scarborough district. 
Many of the species he found proved to be new to science, 
one being called Gnomonia Needhamii Mass. & Crossl. (Pocillum 
Needhanut Mass. & Crossl. was found by Mr. J. T. Aspin in 
Elland Park Wood). Numerous other Hebden Bridge finds 
proved to be newto the British Flora. All were recordedin The 
Naturalist from time to time. The last he found and deter- 
mined about a couple of years ago was a beautiful little agaric 
growing on soil in a neighbouring greenhouse ; it was known as 
Lepiota medio-flava Boud., only previously recorded in France. 
In 1892 he drew my attention at Hardcastle Crags to a 
yellow fungus on earthnut, and remarked that he had noticed 
where this occurred the neighbouring sweet-dock leaves were 
soon after affected with a brownone. This information brought 
the late Mr. H. T. Soppitt (then of Bradford) on to the scene, 
and led him to undertake the series of experiments which resulted 
in the discovery that they were two separate stages in the life 
history of one and the same parasitic fungus. 
During one of his woodland investigations (February, 1897) 
he came across an old clothtab hearthrug, probably a Christmas 
outcast. Remembering past conversations on fungi growing 
on damp sacking, decaying cloth, etc., he moved the old rug 
to a damp shady part of the wood with the idea of giving it a 
chance to produce something of the sort. Nor was he disap- 
pointed. It was visited at intervals, and when it looked like 
getting too dry the watering can was brought into play, although 
the water was to carry some distance. By the end of July no 
fewer than ro observable species, and some in quantity, had 
matured and been identified. This was the first year’s crop. 
Seven additional species came forward the year following. See 
The Naturalist, December, 1904, pp. 359-63, for particulars. 
1913 Aug. 1. 
