268 



NOTE ON SOWERBY'S MODELS OF BRITISH FUNGI. 



H. (Ciipressina) nano-crista-cas- H. Rutenbergii C. Mull. Rel. Rut. 



trense C. Mull. Andrangoloaka 

 (Hildebrandt 2127). 



H . ( Ciipressina) Pervilleanum 



Schiinp. Vondruzona, Amba- 

 tondrazaka. 



iii. 213. Ambatondrazaka ; 

 Mt. Ankaratra [Borgen 57). 



Rhacopihtm Africanum Mitt. 



(Pool). 

 R. prcelonguyn Schimp. Andran- 



H. (Tamariscella) Strathiopteris goloaka (Hildebrandt 2124). 



C. Mull. 

 brandt 2075). 



(Hilde 



II . (Aptychus) afrodemissitm C. 



Mull. Rel. Rut. iii. 212. Von- 

 druzona, Arubohimara, Amba- 

 tondrazaka. 



H. [Aptychus) nanopyxis C. Miill. 



I. c. Vondruzona. 



H. {Sigmatella-Thelidiiun) puncta- 



tulum C. Miill. I.e. 213. Am- 



batondrazaka. 



H 



pytix C. Miill. I.e. Ambaton- 

 drazaka. 



Var. Nossianum. 

 R. tomentosnm C. Miill. (Borgen 



127). 



Hypopterygium Hildebrandti 0. 



Miill. S. Betsileo (Hildebrandt 

 2094). 

 H. longirostrum Schimp. (Perville 



805). 

 H. Nossi- Beanum C. Miill. Rev. 



Bry. 1877, 15. Nossi Be. 

 H. torulosiun Schimp. var. Nossi- 



Beanum Besch. Nossi Be. 



NOTE ON SOWERBY'S MODELS OP BRITISH FUNGI. 



By William Carruthers, F.R.S. 



Mr. Smith's interesting notice of these models (p. 231) induces 

 me to add some particulars which he has omitted, as he was 

 not acquainted with them. The collection was made by James 

 Sowerby, the projector and proprietor of * English Botany/ while 

 he was issuing his 'English Fungi.' His purpose in preparing 

 the models is explained by him in the Introduction to the Sup- 

 plement to that work. He says, " I intend to finish models of the 

 more particularly poisonous Fungi, and of those which are edible, 

 to prevent, as far as possible, future mistakes, for the use of the 

 public." In order that this object might be accomplished, he 

 opened his collection for public inspection every first and third 

 Tuesday in each month from eleven until three o'clock. Mr. W. 

 G. Smith has more efficiently accomplished this object by the pub- 

 lication of his two large sheets, with the accompanying letterpress, 

 entitled ■ Mushrooms and Toadstools ; how to distinguish easily the 

 l^rences between edible and poisonous Fungi.' It was no more 

 the p 



nose of Sowerby than of Mr. Smith to illustrate all the 

 large ruifgi known to him. Mr. Smith attained his object by 

 giving figures of sixty species, newly equally divided between the 

 edible and poisonous ; and Sowerby prepared 193 models in accom- 

 plishment of his design. 



After 



the 



death of James Sowerby the models became the 



Sowerby, who, in 1831, 



property of his son, James De Carle 



offered them for sale to the Museum. 



examined by Mr. Brown, and though he recommended their pur- 



They were at that time 



