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THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
the hyphoe of fungi are very soft, they possess a thin wall, and are not at all 
gelatinous ; while they are immediately dissolved by the application of hydrate 
of potash, etc. 
Our own experience is somewhat to the effect that there are some few 
lichens which are doubtful as to whether they are fungi or lichens ; but, in by 
far the majority of cases, there is not the slightest difficulty in determining, 
from the peculiar firmness and elasticity of the tissues, minute peculiarities 
which the practised hand can detect rather than describe. It is true that a 
great number of lichens at first sight, and casually, resemble species of 
Hysteriacei, but it is no less strange than true that lichenologists and myco- 
logists know their own sufficiently not to commit depredations on each other. 
Our conclusions are these : That lichens and fungi are closely related the 
one to the other, but that they are not identical ; that the gonidia of lichens 
are part of the lichen organisation, and consequently are not algse or any 
introduced bodies ; that there is no parasitism ; and that the lichen thallus, 
exclusive of gonidia, is wholly unknown amongst fungi. 
The Rev. J. M. Crombie, in his paper on the Lichen-G-onidia Question 
has our sympathies in the remark with which his summary of the gonidia 
controversy closes, in which he characterises it as a “ sensational romance of 
lichenology,’ , of “ the unnatural union of a captive algal damsel and a tyrant, 
fungal master.” So much for the Algo-Lichen hypothesis. 
In the same chapter Professor M/Alpine ably handles Peziza, Ascobolus, 
and other fungi. The two concluding chapters of the third part the author 
devotes to the Liverwort, Moss, Fern, Horsetail, Pillwort, and Selaginella. 
Finally, in Chapter XI., the connection between flowerless and flowering 
plants is plainly set forth. 
Ere concluding our notice of this interesting work some minor points 
necessitate our attention. Page 30, Fig. 6 — Agaricus melleus is called mushroom, 
but the true mushroom is classed under the sub-genus Psalliota ; and of 
British species two only are regarded as mushrooms, viz. — Agaricus arvensis, 
horse mushroom; and Ag. campestris, common mushroom — whereas Ag. melleus 
belongs to the sub-genus Armillaria, and should be called Honey-coloured 
Armillaria or Agaric. 
In Fig. 7, also, the name common brown mould is somewhat mis- 
leading, for although the sporangia and sporidia are at first brown, they soon 
become blackish, but the whole plant has a delicately white aspect, which 
may be observed by bringing fresh horse- dung into a damp, confined atmosphere, 
as under a bell-glass, when, after a few days, a large mass of white filaments 
will appear on its surface. Mucor mucedo is generally known as common mould. 
We also miss a few introductory remarks and the date of publication. 
On the other hand, it is an elegantly got up work, and bears evidence of 
painstaking research, although it must of necessity be, in some respects, a resume 
of the scattered records of other observers. Its worth to the reader is enhanced 
by abundant and good woodcuts and diagrams. 
What the author has aimed at is ably and clearly done, and we cordially 
congratulate him on this pleasant and instructive volume, which we strongly 
recommend to all lovers of natural history, and particularly to pharmaceutical 
students, on account of the excellent descriptions given of the life histories of 
Claviceps purpurea, the ergot, and of Aspidium filix-mas, the male shield fern, 
with which all pharmaceutical students should be familiar. 
We do not hesitate to affirm that we have never met with a work which 
we can more unreservedly praise. It will well repay perusal by all thoughtful 
and intelligent readers. 
