BRITISH FUNGUS FLORA. 
yeoomes iy Flora: A Classified Text-book of Mycology. By 
MassEE. In three volumes. Vol. I. Price 7s. 6d. Geo. Bell 
mya aa London, 1892. 
The student of British Mycology is ready to admit that for many 
years he has had to labour under difficulties, owing chiefly to the fact 
that no text-book was available on the subject containing descriptions 
of the British species. After a mycological excursion, he considered 
himself lucky should he succeed in determining one-half of the 
species collected. The doubtfuls, as a rule, were pitched into the 
dust-bin, a ready method of settling them, and there can be no 
question that many good species—and probably new ones—have 
often found their way into that useful receptacle. » 
It is more than twenty years since Dr. Cooke published the 
‘Handbook of British Fungi,’ a work which has served its purpose 
admir ably and to which most British mycologists of to-day are 
But since the publication of the Handbook, mycology has advanced 
by leaps and bounds in every direction, and the number of British 
species has almost doubled. So that there is not much cause to 
awe ae an up-to-date edition has often been devoutly wished 
for. where was the person competent to bring out a work 
dealing an something like five thousand species? And when 
Stephenson’s ‘ Hymenomycetes 5 Brtaaniel (1886), Phillips’ eemne 
Discomycetes’ (1887), Plowright’s ‘British Uredinez and Ustilagine 
(1889), and other monographs made their appearance, it was <p ae 
that our mycological flora was to be dealt with piecemeal, and the 
student — content, awaiting further monographs. 
ne in this country knew more of the disadvantages of 
mycological students than our esteemed member of the Y.N.U., 
Mr. George Massee, of Kew, and no one was more competent to 
supply the requirements of students. ‘The first volume of ‘ British 
Fungus Flora’ will therefore be hailed with delight, and we have 
pleasure in stating at the outset that the work is a truly honest 
production, and full of merit. It is in every sense well ‘ got-up,’ the 
paper, printing, and binding leaving nothing to be desired. 
€ present volume is devoted to Basidiomycetes, and in the 
introduction a well-written but brief description is given of the nature 
and origin of Fungi. After describing the ooh ih ea of the 
Pasidiouycste: the work practically begins. Unlike previous books 
on this subject, the Gastromycetes take the lead, and it is at once 
evident that the author has taken pains to make the species of this 
group more easy of recognition than they have hitherto been. 
Jan. 1893. 
