202 



Mycologia 



mens are of little value in identification because most of the 

 specific characters are lost in the process of drying. 



There is real need of a comprehensive monograph of all the 

 North American forms. The writers have neither time nor 

 means at present to treat the subject so broadly, but as a con- 

 tribution toward the accomplishment of such a work they have 

 made a study of the species which occur in their state, the re- 

 sults of which are set forth in this paper. They have, however, 

 included not only the species which they and others have col- 

 lected in Massachusetts, but also have added in the key and de- 

 scriptions all other species which have been reported from the 

 northeastern states, in order that the paper might be more widely 

 useful and also because species which occur in neighboring states 

 may be looked for in Massachusetts, although they have never 

 been reported. 



Species of Helvella are separated from each other largely on 

 the bases of the shape, configuration, size, and color of the stripe 

 and pileus. The spores, asci, paraphyses, and internal structure 

 of ascomata of all the species which occur here are so nearly 

 identical that microscopic examination of dried specimens is use- 

 less. Also, when a plant is dried, especially if pressed, it loses 

 its shape and original size and the colors almost always change. 

 The most valuable contribution one can make to the understand- 

 ing of the species of the genus is not by making numerous col- 

 lections which are filed away to receive later worthless descrip- 

 tions of what they look like in the dried state and measurements 

 of spores, etc., which are all alike. Much more valuable are care- 

 ful notes, descriptions, photographs and drawings of fresh plants. 

 Commenting on the unsatisfactory nature of dried specimens, 

 Bresadola has well remarked that " he alone acquires a correct 

 knowledge of these species who is able to spend the green season 

 of the year in regions where they grow abundantly and to make 

 comparisons between them " (Fung. Trident, p. 64. Translated). 

 In making notes on the collections, one should describe colors 

 by well-known color standard charts ; popular descriptions of 

 colors and shades of colors are subject to rather wide ranges of 

 interpretation. Colored plates such as those of Boudier are espe- 

 cially useful. 



