THE FUNGI OF GUERNSEY. 199 



easy to understand. Hence, for this and other reasons, con- 

 tinuous observations extending over several years in succession 

 are requisite for the compiling of anything like a complete 

 catalogue of the fungi of a locality. At the same time, every 

 single record is an item of value added to the general know- 

 ledge of the subject. 



It is interesting to find that all the principal genera of 

 the Agaricinece are represented in Guernsey ; the richest 

 locally being the beautiful and attractive genus Hygrophoras, 

 of which twenty-two species are recorded, some of them being 

 exceedingly rare in Britain. 



On the other hand, but little comparatively has been done 

 among the microscopic fungi, and several large groups hardly 

 figure at all in this list. An immense field lies open for 

 winter and spring work among those tiny saprophytes which 

 abound wherever there is any kind of dead or decaying vege- 

 tation ; while one section alone, the leaf parasites (Hypodermii), 

 would afford ample occupation and yield rich results to any 

 person devoting special attention to it during an entire season. 



Numerous additions are certain to be made to the list of 

 Myxogastres, a very curious group of minute organisms, 

 remarkable by their beauty of form, brilliancy of coloration, 

 and wonderful life-history. Opinions differ as to the affinities 

 of this singular group, some authorities regarding them as 

 related to the fungi, which they resemble, whereas others 

 assign to them a place in the animal kingdom. Descriptions 

 and coloured figures of the species will be found in Mr. 

 Massee's " Monograph of the British Myxogastres." 



Two fungi new to science have been discovered in Guernsey, 

 — an agaric and a mould. The first, which Mr. Massee has 

 named Clitopilus s amicus, was gathered by Mr. Luff in the 

 Talbots Valley on the 7th of October. It is not a striking 

 species in any way, being of the ordinary parasol-shape, with a 

 tawny-olive cap an inch or so across, and pale salmon-pink gills. 

 Apparently it is either very rare or very local in Guernsey, 

 as among the many hundreds of agarics received from all 

 parts of the island no other specimens have been seen. Quite 

 the reverse in this respect is the other new species, a parasitic 

 moidd, which Mr. Massee has done me the honour to name 

 Verticillium Marquandii. It grows on healthy-looking speci- 

 mens of Hygroplwrus virgineus, colouring the gills and stem 

 a beautiful lilac purple. The parasite is as widely distributed 

 in the island as its host, and almost as common ; but it is 

 strictly confined to H. virgineus, not a trace of it having been 

 detected on any other species. 



