Crossland : Fungus Flora of Muigmve Woods. 2^ 



from the body of the basidmm into a bulb-like formation at 

 the tip of the sterigma, which eventually ripens into a spore. 



On the Tuesday evening Mr. H. C. Hawley read a paper 

 on ' New Fungi found in Lincolnshire,' and also referred to a 

 number of interesting species found on a single decaying thistle 

 at the Brafferton excursion last May. 



Mr. J. W. H. Johnson read a paper on ' Fungi which have 

 developed on material taken from polluted West Riding 

 streams.' 



Much interest was taken in the proceedings b}^ the villagers, 

 many of whom asked permission to come in to the exhibits 

 room to see the collection of fungi on the tables. Several 

 brought in specimens they themselves had collected to ask 

 what they were. One or other of the members were always at 

 hand to give them attention. Sensible utilitarian questions, 

 such as ' Which are edible ?' ' Is that good to eat ? ' etc. were 

 put. To them, the edible aspect appealed the most ; they could 

 see no other recompense in the study of fungi. Their attitude 

 reminded the writer of a friend of his, who, on seeing him over- 

 hauling a toadstool, asked if it was fit to eat ; on the reply 

 ' No, this one isn't ' being given, the queriest says : ' W'hat are 

 you bothering with it for then ? ' This neatly sums up the 

 common notion in respect to the study of toadstools. There 

 were eighteen or twenty edible species on the tables, pointed 

 out to the visitors. This side of the study was encouraged, 

 but at the same time, the enquirers were advised to gather none 

 to cook only well-marked species, about which there could be 

 no possibility of mistake, such as the parasol mushroom, 

 shaggy caps, ivory caps, blewits, etc. In June, it was noticed 

 by the writer that St. George's mushroom — Tricholma gam- 

 hosum — one of the best of edible toadstools, was very abundant 

 in the fields. 



At the close of the Foray, and after a few boxes of micro- 

 material had been gone through by several members at home, 

 the total determined reached 612 'species' and 12 vars. The 

 analysis of the list shows that three — Tricholoma canieolum. 

 Pholiota sororia and Inocybe commixta — are additions to the 

 British Fungus Flora, twenty-seven new to the county, and 

 seventy-six to vice county N.E. 256 are additions to the 

 previously known fungus flora of Mulgrave Woods and adjoin- 

 ing pastures, which now amounts to 816 'species.' 



It must be understood that many are but stages in the life- 



1909 January i. 



