96 Crossland : The Study of Fungi in Yorkshire. 



a view to ascertain whether any relationship existed between 

 the two. Eventually he succeeded in proving they were but 

 two separate stages on different hosts in the life-history of one 

 and the same fungus — Puccinia Bistortce, (Grevillea xxii. (1893) , 

 pp. 45-47). A most interesting popular account by Soppitt 

 may be found in the Halifax Naturalist, vol. ii., pp. 108-113. 



He tested Puccinia variabilis which occurs on dandelion 

 leaves at Grassington, and found that all the three stages in 

 the life cycle of this fungus were confined to that plant. 



In 1894 he removed to Halifax. By so doing, the study of 

 fungi in this district got a decided help forward. Later he 

 checked and confirmed Klebahn's cultures of Pttccinia Pring- 

 sheimiana on the gooseberry bush, and Carex vulgaris, proving 

 the Mcidiiim on the gooseberry, and the Puccinia on the Carex 

 to be the same fungus. He procured the Mcidium stage from 

 a wild gooseberry tree at Windermere, and successfully infected 

 Carex plants in his own garden at Halifax with the disease. 



He discovered several species new to science, all of which are 

 included in the Yorkshire Fungus Flora. 



Dr. F. A. Lees, in 'Flora of West Yorkshire,' acknowledges 

 his indebtedness to Soppitt for compiling the list of. Fungi. He, 

 along with Thos. Hebden, Cullingworth were the principal 

 contributors to the fungi in Rotheray's ' Flora of Skipton.' 

 For further particulars see ' Gardiner's Chronicle, 'April 15th, 

 1899 ; * The Naturalist.' May, 1899 ; and the * Hahfax Nat- 

 uralist,' vol. iv. 



Yorkshire owes much to the study of its fungi to Geo. 

 Edward Massee. In his signature Mr. Massee, for the sake of 

 brevity, omits his second Christian name. He is a Yorkshireman . 

 born at Scampton, E.R., 1850. He was first attracted to fungi 

 by specimens brought to the York School of Art, where he was 

 a student in 1867. His first collecting grounds were Castle 

 Howard Woods, and Terrington Carr. Removing to Scar- 

 borough in 1873, he studied the fungi of that district for fifteen 

 years. During that period he discovered many species new to 

 science, and others new to the British Flora. The former are 

 figured in Dr. M. C. Cooke's fine set of Illustrations of 

 British Agaricaceae. This monumental work also contains 

 numerous other drawings from Massee 's dexterous pencil. 

 There are also many in the British Museum (Natural History) 

 collection. _ 



[To be continued). 



Naturalist, 



