Crossland : The Study of Fungi in Yorkshire. 



87 



every day increasing, and which cannot easily be removed, 

 especially in regard to plants of this order. To attempt it at 

 present would be in vain, because the investigation of them is a 

 branch of science now cultivated with spirit in several parts of 

 Europe ; and the field for new discoveries is still so ample, 

 and so rich, that every new season deepens the columns of our 

 former lists, and makes continual additions to the stock, which 

 does not perhaps exhibit more than one-fifth part of the objects 

 that must be investigated before mankind can be possessed 

 of a complete nomenclature.' 



Even after all these well-meant and accurate observation?, 

 we unhesitatingly excuse Bolton for making four plates o' 

 Armillaria mellea, and describing each under a different name. 

 This agaric is so extremely variable in appearance that it i > 

 surprising he did not make twice as many plates of it. He wrot ) 

 an ' Essay towards a Methodical Arrangement of Agarics.' 

 Their classification was based on the number of gill series; 

 the presence or absence of stem, of volva, of veil, etc. 



Towards the end of his work, Bolton remarks : — ' Through- 

 out this work I have endeavoured to clear the subject from 

 these difficulties wherewith it has long been encumbered. In 

 some species, indeed, it was very difficult to determine with 

 precision ; the plants are so very similar in figure ; so very 

 different in appearance, at different stages of their growth . . . 

 and so confounded by authors, that a man might spend his 

 whole life amongst them, in order, clearly and accurately, to 

 ascertain their species. ... I have made use of all the lights 

 I could obtain from the works of Linnaeus, Hudson, Scopoli, 

 Haller, Vaillant, Micheli, Battara, Sterbeeck, Gleditsch, Dillenius, 

 Ray, etc., etc., and after all, I willingly submit my observation '> 

 to the few who have studied the subject as devoutly as myself, 

 to alter, change, or totally reject, such as are wrong, and I hope 

 that those few, knowing the difficulties that attend the under- 

 taking, will candidly overlook and forgive such small mistakes 

 as have escaped me.' 



A paragraph like this reveals the inner nature of the man — 

 modest as to his own work ; admitting that some of it may 

 prove inaccurate as more light is thrown upon the subject, and 

 welcoming any necessary alteration or total rejection. What 

 could the man do more ? Accuracy appears to have been his 

 sole aim. 



A German translation of his Halifax Fungusses was issued 



1908 March i. . 



