288 Hybernation of Fungi. 



special hypothesis, like that of Laplace, is useless, as every- 

 thing is explained on the supposition of a force distinct from 

 Newtonian attraction, but not less general in its operation. Is it 

 not remarkable that we have had to seek in the heavens for the 

 essential characteristics of the two great forces which govern 

 the material universe ? 



HYBERNATION OF FUNGI— THE GENUS 

 SCLEEOTIUM. 



BY THE EEV. MILES JOSEPH BEEKELEY, M.A., P.L.S. 



Up to a very recent date the science of Mycologogy was over- 

 laid by a host of spurious genera and species, destitute of every 

 trace of fructification, and often of most uncertain origin and 

 affinity, and in consequence quite unworthy of admission into 

 any arrangement professing to be natural. The eyes of one or 

 two first rate mycologists were first well opened to their true 

 character about forty years ago, when Fries propounded the wise 

 rule that no fungus should be admitted into the system whose 

 fruit was wholly unknown, or whose affinities were so doubt- 

 ful, that the nature of the fruit could not be readily divined. He 

 did not indeed always keep himself to his own rule, and perhaps 

 it was impossible for him, at that time, to do so, but the great 

 host of mycologists, whether of greater or less considera- 

 tion, instead of profiting by his advice, still clung to their 

 own "mumpsinius" and burdened science with multitudes of 

 Himantice, RMzomorphce, and other equally imperfect organisms. 

 It was easy enough, indeed, for any one who was inclined to 

 make use of his eyes, to see that many of these were merely 

 the spawn of various fungi, in imperfect conditions, or arising 

 from abnormal places of growth. A morning's search after 

 fungi in our woods and forests could scarcely fail to convince 

 one that many a white Himantia was due to the common 

 species of Marasmius, which occur on oak leaves, or to some 

 well-known Agaric, such as Agaricus dryojphyllus, and as little 

 could it escape notice that Phlebomorpka was merely the early 

 condition of some Trinchia or allied genus. Still such genera 

 were retained by authors with the utmost tenacity, and perhaps 

 for one reason amongst others, that they were easy to recognize 

 by some empirical process, without any of the difficulties which 

 almost always attend the precise determination of genuine 

 species. 



Though Fries, with that peculiar tact which has characterized 

 his career as an observer and has assigned him one of the highest 



