COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION. 293 
prepared, especially if a few notes be made as to colour, etc. 
The more important notes are as to the colour of the stem 
and pileus, together with any peculiarities of the surface, ¢.7., 
whether it be dry, viscid, downy, scaly, etc., and whether the 
flesh of the pileus be thin or otherwise; as to the stem, whether 
hollow or solid; as to the gills, whether they are attached to the 
stem or free; and especially what is their colour and that of the 
spores. It is not in general expedient to preserve specimens in 
spirits, except others are dried by pressure, or copious notes be 
made; except, indeed, in some fungi of a gelatinous nature, 
which can scarcely be dried at all by pressure. 
“The large woody fungi, the puff-balls, and a great number 
of those which grow on wood, etc., are best preserved, after 
ascertaining that they are dry and free from larve, by simply 
wrapping them in paper or placing them in chip-boxes, taking 
care that they are so closely packed as not to rub. As in other 
tribes of plants, it is very requisite to have specimens in different 
stages of growth, and notes as to precise habitats are always 
interesting. 
“ The attention of the traveller can scarcely be directed to any 
more interesting branch, or one more likely to produce novelty, 
than the puff-ball tribe; and he is particularly requested to col- 
lect. these in every stage of growth, especially in the earliest, 
and, if possible, to preserve some of the younger specimens in 
spirits. One or two species are produced on ant-hills, the know- 
ledge of the early state of which is very desirable. 
“The fungi which grow on leaves in tropical climates are 
_ scarcely less abundant than in our own country, though belonging 
toa different type. Many of these must constantly come under 
the eye of the collector of phoenogams, and would be most 
acceptable to the mycologist. But the attention of the collector 
should also be directed to the lichen-like fungi, which are so 
abundant in some countries on fallen sticks. Hundreds of 
species of the utmost interest would reward active research, and 
they are amongst the easiest to dry; indeed, in tropical coun- 
tries, the greater proportion of the species are easy to preserve, 
but they will not strike the eye which is not on the watch for 
