Phillips’s “ British discomycetes.” 
115 
although we observe that in some cases our author seems to be 
rather in a fog, yet if they explain what he intended himself by 
the terms when he uses them, it is of less consequence. For 
example, we doubt whether, to other minds, cinnabarine represents 
“ scarlet tinged with yellow,” or whether repand is properly defined 
as “ having an uneven slightly sinuous margin,” or whether 
undulated is at all “ a synonym for repand.” Nevertheless, it is not 
our purpose to quibble over small matters of detail and forget that 
the main object of the book has been successfully accomplished, 
and a cheap manual, with twelve page plates, and a good index, 
delivered to subscribers for about half the price of the original 
estimate. We really hope that every Mycologist in these islands 
will at once put a copy of this work upon his bookshelf, if for 
nothing more, at least as a small encouragement for the per- 
formance of honest labour, for no author ever endeavoured more 
earnestly to do his best, and though the book is not a large one, it 
represents an immense mass of persistent work. 
The classification adopted is intermediate between the now 
antiquated one of the “Handbook” and the rather extravagant 
ones propounded by various continental authors. It seems to us 
that Mr. Phillips has adopted a happy medium, and cannot be 
charged with unnecessary innovations. We do not observe any 
changes made to which we take the least exception, excepting, 
perhaps, the interpretation of Vibrissea, in which we agree to differ. 
On the whole, therefore, as already intimated, this “manual” 
receives our cordial approval, as representing the Discomycetes of 
Great Britain up to date, and we do not hesitate to give it our 
hearty commendation. 
Amanitopsis of Saccardo. — This proposed sub-genus of white- 
spored Agarics is meant to agree with Volvaria amongst the 
salmon-spored species ; Acetabularia amongst the brown-spored, 
and Chitonia amongst the purple-spored. The presence or absence 
of an annulus to the stem in Amanita and Volvaria is probably 
not of sufficient importance for sub-generic distinction ; this seems 
to have been Fries’ estimate. I do not think it has hitherto been 
pointed out that Sowerby has modelled one of his examples of 
Agaricus volvaceus with an ample ring to the stem ; other examples 
in Sowerby’s group have no ring as is usually the case. Sowerby’s 
original model is in the public room of the British Museum. Even 
the volva is not invariably present or absent as it should be, if 
Nature always kept within the limits prescribed by mycologists. 
One of my original drawings in the British Museum collection 
shows a volva to Psalliota , in Agaricus campestris . — Worthington 
G. Smith. 
