127 



is, however, not such an unwieldy number of species to afiford an 

 excuse for generic splitting, as is the case with the agarics, and 

 there is practically nothing but habit and external form to lay 

 hold of in limiting species and attempting generic segregations. 

 Specimens were shown illustrating the principal sectional or sub- 

 generic groups. 



The Codiaceae were illustrated by specimens of Codiiini, 

 Avrai)ivillca, Pcnicillus, RhipocepJialus, Udotca and Halimcda. 

 The genera Pcnicillus and Rhipoccphahis are especially well rep- 

 resented in the Bahama Islands. Four species of Pcnicillus and 

 two of Rhipoccphahis were shown, all of which were found grow- 

 ing within a mile radius in Bemini Harbor, Bahamas. One of 

 these is supposed to be the species described from the Bahamas 

 by Dccaisne in 1842 as Pcnicillus oblongus and apparently not 

 met with in the meantime. This species was transferred to the 

 genus Rhipoccphahis by Kuetzing. In reality, it stands between 

 the genera Penicillus and Rhipoccplialus and weakens the dis- 

 tinction between them. It is easily a Rhipoccphahis when it is 

 young, but as it gets older becomes more like a Pcnicillus and 

 might then be casually passed by as a form of the common Pcn- 

 icillus capitatus. The head, however, is usually more oblong 

 than in that species, the branching of the threads of the brush 

 is characteristic, and the arrangement of the threads in the apical 

 or younger part of the brush is alwa}'s distinctive. 



Among the species and forms of Halimcda exhibited was one 

 from, the Florida Keys which is soon to be described as a new 

 species. This has been confused with Halimcda Tuna by both 

 American and foreign students of the genus, but is readily dis- 

 tinguished from that and other described species, by the fact that 

 the surface of each cortical tube or "cell" is drawn out into a 

 strong spine. Willi.vm T. Horne, 



Secretary pro tern. 



NEWS ITEMS 



Mr. George R. L>man, of the department of botany of Dart- 

 mouth College, has been advanced to the rank of Assistant Pro- 

 fessor. 



