on fries’ nomenclature of colours. 
31 
are castaneus , chestnut ; ferrugineus and rubiginosus , rust-red ; and 
puniceus, which is an almost purple red. 
Blues are so rare among Fungi that very few names are 
required for them. Coeruleus is a pale blue, azure ; ccerulescens 
is becoming blue. Azureus , lazulinus, and cyaneus are rather 
ultramarine. Cyanellus is almost sky-blue. Purpureus is a 
bluish purple ; violaceus , violet, is a reddish purple ; lilacinus is 
lilac or mauve. Ianthinus and ionides alike refer to a violet 
colour. Porphyro-leucus should mean purplish-white, but Ag. 
( Tricholoma ) porphyroleucus , Bulliard, is described by Fries as 
“ sooty or dusky, becoming red.” 
The type of the greens is viridis , but it is of no definite hue ; 
virescens and viridans mean turning green. Aerugineus and 
aeruginosus refer to a verdigris or rather bluish-green. Olivaceus 
is olive-green, olivascens denoting the preliminary stage of be- 
coming green. Pausiacus describes precisely the same green, 
from pausea or pausia , a variety of olive ; for Fries says of Ag. 
(Clito cy be) pausiacus that the gills are olivaceous. 
Before I had made the attempt of which you have the outcome 
now, to elucidate Fries’ use of the names of colours, I was un- 
willing to ask for much of your indulgence. But now that I have 
done my best, and feel how poor my best has been, I must ask you 
to look on my essay, not as a final determination, but as a frame- 
work about which can be arranged the experience of others. No 
invention is ever so valuable to its inventor as it is to those who 
can bring it to perfect use. May what I have tried to accomplish 
here be at least the opening of the door for the truth that must in 
the end prevail. 
BRITISH DISCOMYCETES. 
We omitted in our last issue to announce that Mr. W. Phillips, 
F.L.S., of Shrewsbury, is preparing for issue a work containing 
full descriptions of all the genera and species of the British Dis- 
comycetes, which will virtually be a revised edition of that portion 
of our “ Handbook of British Fungi.” We need not remind our 
readers that no one more capable to undertake this duty could be 
found, as Mr. Phillips has devoted himself with untiring persever- 
ance to the critical study of the Discomycetes, and especially those 
of our own islands, for many years. Unhesitatingly we have placed 
all our own material at his disposal, with the offer of any assistance 
which we can give him, and we have no doubt the work will be 
prosecuted with vigour. 
It will be issued in one volume, cloth, and will not exceed ten 
shillings ; but in order to its publication, if possible, at a lower 
price, the names of subscribers are solicited, which should be sent 
forthwith to Mr. W. Phillips, Canonbury, Shrewsbury, from whom 
prospectus and any further details may be obtained. 
