Fungus forays. 
39 
The Sutton Coldfield Vesey Club organized a half-day’s 
excursion to Trickley Coppice, on Saturday afternoon, October 
5th, for the collection of fungi. The whole time spent upon the 
ground was something like two hours, and during the entire 
period the rain was falling sharply and persistently, so that, at 
its termination, all the unfortunate excursionists, numbering 
about five -and- twenty, presented the unenviable appearance 
of drowned rats. Such an exhibition is not a novelty to 
fungus hunters, but it is one which has not been experienced at 
any organized excursion for the past two or three years. How- 
ever, there was one redeeming feature, that the number of 
species collected was larger, proportionately, than at any ex- 
cursion of the present year. The ground was sufficiently wet 
before the downfall began, and at its close was much more 
than sufficiently soft. The conductors on this occasion were 
Messrs. J. E. Bagnall, Grove, and M. C. Cooke, who prepared a 
list of the species determined, and reported a total of upwards 
of sixty, which was a fair average for almost any ordinary sea- 
son, of thirty species per hour, but a high average for a season 
when about ten species per hour has hardly been exceeded. 
The collection included many very common species, the edible 
portions of which were selected and cooked under the superinten- 
dence of Mr. Grove, and formed an addition to the inevitable 
tea at the end of the afternoon. It may be of interest to my- 
cophagists to learn that of the species eaten were Paxillus 
involutus and Lactarius turpis, two which certainly do not look 
very inviting when gathered, but, as here proved, perfectly 
harmless, and, if not particularly delicate, at least edible when 
more attractive viands are absent. The list of the afternoon’s 
spoils included seven species of Pussula, five species of Lactarius , 
eighteen white-spored Agarics, and some eight or nine Agarics 
with coloured spores. Whether any additions were made to 
the list recorded of the Warwickshire fungi cannot be deter- 
mined at once, but no individual species of particular and 
special interest was secured. Had the w’eather been more 
propitious, there is no doubt the list would have been materially 
increased. 
Hampshire Field Club. — The third annual fungus hunt in 
the New Forest was taken on Friday, October 25th, under the 
direction of the Rev. W. L. W. Eyre and M. C. Cooke. The 
party, numbering in all about five-and-twenty, started from the 
Lyndhurst Road Station, soon after 9.30, and proceeded through 
Buskett’s Wood to the Kennels, and thence skirting the road to 
Lyndhurst. The day was fine, pleasant, and agreeable, and the 
number of species recorded about 140, of which 60 had not 
previously been entered on the Hampshire list. No species 
were found that were absolutely new, and few that were rare or 
interesting. Those most worthy of note were Ag. ( Entoloma ) 
