151) 
THE MYXOMYCETES. 
It is half a century since the arrangement of these fungi by 
Fries in his “ Systema,” and from that time nearly to the present 
this system preA^ailed. Occasional genera were added, and a few 
hints given of internal structure, but as a whole the basis of classi- 
fication was external absolutely, or concerned those features only 
which could be distinguished by a pocket lens. At first Prof, dc 
Bary made some suggestions as to the rectification of the classifi- 
cation, but unfortunately at that time it was his opinion that these 
organisms should be excluded from Fungi, and -allied with the 
Rhizopods. This latter view, however, is now no longer maintained, 
and it is to a former pupil of Dr. de Bary that we are indebted for 
a new arrangement of Myxomycetes, or, as he continues to call 
them, the Mycetozoa, on new principles. 
Dr. Joseph Rostafinski has issued, in a quarto volume, fully 
illustrated, a complete and elaborate Monograph, with two great 
hindrances attached to it, firstly, that it is in the Polish language, 
and secondly, that the book is very difficult to obtain. In view of 
these hindrances, a translation into English «has been undertaken, 
and will be published in a few days, of as much as relates to British 
species, with reproductions of the figures, and characters of all the 
genera whether British or not. 
Since the publication of this Monograph, a Supplement has been 
issued, embodying the results of Dr. Rostafinski’s tour to Western 
Europe, and his examination of herbaria in Germany, France, 
and England. Several alterations suggested by this experience 
have been made, and the following arrangement of the orders, 
families, and genera, finally proposed. 
Sub-Division I. A]¥[AUllOSPOR.a:. 
Sect. A. ATRICH^. 
Order I. PROTODERMEAH. 
Family I. Protodermace^. 
Genus I. Protoderma. 
Sect. B. TRICHOPHOR^. 
Order II. CALCAREM. 
Family 2. Cienkowskiace^. 
Genus 2. Cienkowskia. 
Family 3. Physarace^. 
Genus 3. Badhamia. 
,, 4. Physarum, 
„ 5 Fuligo. 
,, 6. Craterium. 
,, 7. Leocarpus. 
,, 8. Crateriachea. 
,, 9. Tilmadoche. 
