VI 
PREFACE. 
over such a large expanse of country. Such specimens are unob 
served by the ordinary botanical collector, and require some ex 
perience to detect. Thanks are, tliorefore, due to the perseveranc 
of Mr. F. M. Bailey, Mrs. Martin, and Baron F. von Mueller, i: 
continuing to secure and forward specimens to England fo 
identification, since, without their co-operation, this voluim 
could scarcely have been produced. My thanks are also du 
to Mr. George Massee for his constant assistance in the exami 
nation and determination of the material which forms the basi 
of this work. Except the Hymenomycetes, all the specimens, v 
enumerated and described by Kalchbrenner were referred t< 
myself at the time, and we shared the responsibility. 
Unfortunately, in some cases, the localities attached to tin 
specimens which have passed through my hands are not indi^ 
cated, as also is the case with some published descriptions o 
species which I have never seen, so that I have had to resf 
content with the general indication of “Australia,” instead oj J 
i 1 
the usual quotation of each colony. Interested persons wil| 
tci 
possibly take exception to the omission of the names of collectors’ 
under each individual species, but as this could not bo done) 
for lack of the necessary information in all cases, it was coir 
sidered advisable not to attempt it in any. Moreover, thii 
could hardly be classed as “ scientific information,” and vvouu 
in no way have contributed to the practical value of the volume 
The difficulties in the way of determination or description 
from dried specimens, especially of Agaricini, badly preserved 
with no information, and destitute of figures, are almost insur 
mountable. Errors are almost inevitable in such cases, anil 
there is never so much certainty or satisfaction as when th 
specimens can he seen living, or in a fresh state. The bek 
substitute for the latter condition lies in faithful coloured 
drawings and accurate sections, with the addition of such note 
as could not be indicated in the figures. This has been th 
great desideratum with Australian Agaricini and Boleti. Rare!; 
have the specimens been carefully dried, and much more rarel. 
have they been accompanied by any notes or figures. Except 
tions must be made in favour of some drawings by Miss Web! 
Mrs. Martin, Mr. Tisdall, and some rough sketches by Mr 
