230 
KEW GARDENS. 
there is an attempt at the formation of a pileus in patches. 
The stems may remain single, forming therefore a tuft of 
liorn-like growths, blackish at the base, and yellow towards 
the points; but they may also branch, and this repeatedly, 
so as to resemble coral, or may give off lateral branches, and 
thus assume the likeness of the antlers of a deer. A beautiful 
instance of this was figured in Bolton’s “ Funguses growing 
about Halifax,” about a hundred years ago, under the name 
of Boletus rangiferinus (pi. 138); and another, two feet high, 
was figured in the Philosophical Transactions by Professor 
John Martyn (vol. 43, pi. 2, f. 1). The one of which a figure 
is given above was sent to the Birmingham Natural History 
Society by R. S. Bartleet, Esq., J.P., of Redditch ; it grew 
on a block of elm wood which has been for several years 
fixed in the floor of a rather damp room in his factory. It 
belongs to the unbranched form, and the whole tuft, which 
was about seven inches high, sprung from a crack in the 
wood less than half an inch in width. 
Mr. Bagnall informs me that some years ago he received 
from Mr. Charles Parsons a beautiful specimen of Pohgporus 
squamosus, found in a wine cellar at Edgbaston, similar 
to that figured by Bolton under the name of Boletus 
rangiferinus. This had a dark coloured base about six inches 
wide, and from this arose a number of clavaria-like pro¬ 
cesses, some of which were branched. These clavaria-like 
branches were from three to six inches long, and were of a 
pale fawn colour. A smaller example of this was also sent 
from a warehouse in Birmingham ; this was found growing 
on the' rafters~on taking up a portion of the floor for repairs. 
He also received from Mr. Parsons what was probably a state 
of Lentinus lepideus. In this case the stem only appeared to 
have been developed, and had assumed the form of a delicate 
semi-transparent shell; it was about six inches long, and 
pearly white in colour. This was also found growing in a 
wine cellar at Edgbaston. 
on kew~gardens and some of the botanical 
STATISTICS OF THE BRITISH POSSESSIONS. 
BY J. G. BAKER, F.R.S., F.L.S. 
(Continued from page 214.) 
And think of these things, too, from a social and political 
point of view. Side by side with this growth in population, 
