34° Cross land : Fungus Foray at Mulgrave Woods. 



year. The same feature of the woods is also very favourable to 

 the prolific production of Myxogastres. Tubulina cylindrica was 

 seen almost covering- a prostrate trunk with its purple-brown 

 cushions. Many of the smaller species were also very profuse 

 and wide spread, Tilmadoche nutans in particular. 



Syzygites megalocarpus = Sporodinia aspergillus was seen in 

 abundance on decaying- fungi, both in the sporangiferous and 

 zygospore condition. 



As nature more and more delivers up her secrets in the 

 laboratory to the attacks of such workers as Professor H. 

 Marshall' Ward, F.R.S., Harold W. T. Wager, F.L.S., and 

 others,, one is more and more impressed with the great part 

 played by fungi, for good or ill, in nature's economy. The know^- 

 ledge of fungi, including their distribution and prevalence, is 

 still very limited in comparison to what yet remains to be 

 done, notwithstanding the immense amount of work effected by 

 Berkeley and others. The field-man, the systematist, and the 

 laboratory student have yet plenty of work before them in all 

 their respective lines. 



It is to be feared the mistaken notion is very prevalent that 

 the main object of a fungus foray is a sort of semi-social meet- 

 ing of kindred spirits with the one object of forming a list of 

 the toadstools of a given district, or at most to hunt up a few 

 special or very rare species. It is hoped, however, that the 

 accompanying notes and records indicate that the members went 

 deeper into the subject, and had a much more important object 

 in view. Microscopic as well as the larger fungi were investi- 

 gated. In addition, a large amount of valuable material from 

 the biologist's standpoint was found and spirit material at once 

 secured. Mulgrave is a rich district for a mycologist, and 

 would furnish a fine field for a local student. Judging by the 

 present four to five days' visit, it is estimated that, at the very 

 least, a thousand species may be found in the woods and adjoin- 

 ing parks and pastures. Mulgrave Woods were visited in 1894, 

 when many most interesting things were found, and a longing 

 created that another opportunity might be afforded for a second 

 visit. Unfortunately the 1894 records were not printed in * The 

 Naturalist,' but will be incorporated in a catalogue of the York- 

 shire Fungus Flora now in course of preparation, to be issued 

 by the Union. 



The season upon the whole has been an exceptionally good 

 one for fungi. Short, heavy rains, alternating with spells of 



Naturalist, 



