Crossland : The Study of Fungi in Yorkshire. 85 



in 1790. One or two later English authors did not accept it. 

 because they had never seen it, nor has it been recorded by any- 

 one until 1892 when it was re-discovered at Halifax. A few were 

 also seen at Hebden Bridge. In that year it appeared at 

 Halifax abundantly, but only sparingly the year following, and 

 gradually disappeared. No trace of it has been seen for 

 several years back, although the localities have been carefully 

 observed in the season. 



Bolton describes his specimens with great acuteness, in 

 clear, concise terms, and this, be it remembered, when they 

 were little understood. He was practically confined to super- 

 ficial characters, having to work with what he calls a little 

 ' spy-glass.' Had he had at command the compound optical 

 appliances at present in use, he could have included micro- 

 scopic details, but this was then impossible. As it is, some 

 of his descriptions are still thought worth giving in full in recent 

 text-books. Had all subsequent mycologists, who have written 

 descriptions of fungi, been as painstaking, and used to the full 

 the advantages they had over Bolton, afforded them by im- 

 proved lenses, the present generation of mycological students 

 could often have been more certain of the things they were 

 dealing with. 



There are evidences of great care throughout the work. 

 He appears to have kept himself well posted in the drawings 

 and descriptions of kindred workers by obtaining their publi- 

 cations. Those he more particularly refers to are : — Van 

 Sterbeeck, Antwerp, 1654 ; Mersihus, Amsterdam, 1714. 



Vaillant's Botanicum Pa/isiense, Amsterdam, 1727, con- 

 tains among other excellent figures of plants, about ninety very 

 accurate ones of Fungusses. 



Micheli Nova Plantarum Genera, Florence, 1729, enumerates 

 about eight hundred species, and gives a great number of 

 excellent figures of every Genus of this order. 



Battarra Fimgorum Agris Arminiensis Historia, printed 

 at Rimini, 1755. 40 plates. 



Schseffer Bavarian Fungi, published at Ratisbon, 1780. 

 At the time Bolton's History was being issued, M. Bulliard 

 was publishing in Paris a work entitled ' Champignon de la 

 France,' wherein, says Bolton, ' are a great number of very 

 beautiful figures, displaying, in a most . superior manner, the 

 Fungi of that kingdom.' 



Jacquin's 'Flora Danica ' is also referred to, after v/hich 



yo8 March i.' 



