Field Notes. 189 



which covers the nest when the mother-bird leaves it for food, 

 and on her return it is carried away, and dropped into the nearest 

 water, whether stream or pond does not matter. Manv vears 

 ag-o, as a lad, I saw the eg-g- above the nest covering, and later 

 on in 18 inches of water in the pond. It was not craclced, and 

 as much incubated as the others in the nest would be. Whv the 

 mother-duck under certain circumstances remox es one or more 

 of her eg-g-s requires further explanation. Tne usual one, that 

 she cannot cover them all, is hardly satisfactorv when we con- 

 sider the wonderful nest the Mallard constructs. — E. Adrian 

 WooDRUFFE Peacock, Cadney. Brigg, 27th March 1905. 



FUNGI, 



Stiibum acicula (Berk.) Sacc. appeared as a small, watery 

 white drumstick, about of an inch m length, growing on 

 a rhizome of Davallia hullata in a greenhouse. It was under 

 observation two or three weeks, being mistaken for the 

 sporangia of a ]M}"xomycete. 



Monosporium olivaceum Cke. & Mass. — An olive-brovN n 

 velvety patch effused several inches on the underside of 

 a decaying- half-submerged log. Both the above belong to the 

 Hypomycetes, which is characterised by abundant ii}-pha3 bear- 

 ing naked conidia. 



Badhamia panicea Rost. — This Myxomycete was found in 

 quantity on elm logs in a wood-yard at Selby on the 4th INIa}-. 

 INIr. Chas. Crossland has identified these three species and 

 reports them to be new Yorivshire records. — W. X. Cheesmax. 



Humaria convexula (Pers.) Quel., in North-east York- 

 shire. — On 8th April 1905, my son Wilfrid found this interesting 

 Peziza on the bare sandy side of a narrow ditch in a wood 

 bordering- upon Strensall Common. Although a very small 

 fungus, the brilliant scarlet ascophores revealed its presence. 

 INIr. Crossland. who identified it, says it is an addition to ti'e 

 Fungus Flora of Xorth-east Yorkshire, \'ice-county 62. — Wm. 

 Ingham. 



Fung-i New to Britain. — Mr. \V. A. Thwaites, of Masham, 

 has recently forwarded to Kew two species of microscopic fung-i 

 which Mr. Massee finds are new discoveries in this country, 

 viz.: — Discula Fagi Oudem., on dying Beech seedlings; and 

 HerpotricJia nigra Hartig, on seedlings of Scots fir. Anent tlie 

 latter, Mr. Massee makes the following- instructive remarks: — 

 'A destructive parasite, when once introduced into a nursery of 



igo5 June i. 



