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CONFERENCE NOTES. 
The last of the spring conferences was held in the library on 
ay 3, Dr. W. A. Murrill presiding. The meeting consisted 
mainly of informal reports by various members of the staff and 
students 
Mr. Fred J. Seaver showed specimens of two fungi (Neopeckia 
Coultert and Herpotrichia nigra?) which occur as parasites on 
various coniferous trees at high altitudes in the Rocky Mountains. 
The two fungi are so much alike that they can be distinguished 
only by microscopic examination of the spores and for this reason 
the species have been hopelessly confused and most of the pi 
mens in our collections are incorrectly named. So far 
observations have gone the one species ree Coulter’) 
occurs only on species of pine, while the other (Herpotrichia 
nigra?) occurs on spruces and firs but never, so far as observed, 
in America on pine 
Herpotrichia nigra was originally described in Europe and has 
been reported on both spruces and pines as well as on other 
coniferous trees. Examination of various European specimens 
of this species shows the spores to be much smaller than those 
examined in American specimens. Whether this difference in 
size which is very marked is due to the fact that the spores are 
mature is uncertain. Attempts to secure specimens of type 
oe in or Reena the identity of the European 
species have so oo i unsuccessful. 
The fact that this European species occurs on both spruces 
and pines while the American specimens which are thought to be 
identical does not occur on pine and that this difference in habitat 
is accompanied by a difference in the size of the spores suggests 
the possibility that the American specimens may constitute a 
species distinct from the European. 
The pine inhabiting species of America (Neopeckia Counteri) 
which is very different from the preceding species in spore char- 
acters is unknown to Europe. - The results of these studies will 
appear more in detail in a paper to be published later 
Dr. F. D. Kern gave an interesting account of a recent visit 
