49 
MYCOLOGY AS AN INSTRUMENT OF 
RECREATION. 
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 
By Rev. William L. W. Eyre, M.A. 
Ladies and Gentlemen, 
In times past we have had the privilege of hearing 
or reading the words of those whose great abilities I cannot 
emulate. The intricacies of the Uredinee are beyond me, the 
methods of a University laboratory exceed any efforts that can 
be practised in a country Rectory, still, as expected to offer a 
contribution to advance our common aim, I offer the following. 
Thirty years ago, Dr. M. C. Cooke, whose life-long persever- 
ance and generous assistance we all, in one way or another, 
gratefully acknowledge, gave an address on similar lines to 
the present. Following his lead, I feel in safe hands. 
If by any method we can popularise our special study, we 
may hope to increase the membership of the Society, perhaps 
prove a sufficiently strong attraction for some to join us who 
are only deterred from co-operating because we are reputed 
to be too sczentific. 
It is often well to review our pleasures, and if we recognise 
our department of Nature’s field as at any rate recreative, my 
remarks may prove a not entirely unsuitable topic for this even- 
ing. I turn then to my subject. 
Of late years there has been much comment made in our 
newspapers about the excessive recreation of the English 
people. One Bishop certainly has lifted up his voice of warn- 
ing lest recreation destroy the sense of duty, and the holiday 
side of life be thrust too much into the forefront. Possibly 
such a caution may be needed, but the recreation which the 
study of Mycology affords is free from some aspects of the 
pleasure which the Bishop infers may be carried to excess. In 
my own neighbourhood the question has been asked, What do 
you get out of it? From the study of Mycology I am quite as 
convinced as Dr. Cooke we may secure several things, from 
our love of Fungi emerge ideas and thoughts of real value. 
We note differences, we learn to distinguish. Sports train the 
hand, the foot. There is an education of sense, of nerve, of 
muscle. The growing passion for them in our time is Nature’s 
set-off to the lowering of vitality which town life and sedentary 
toil are bringing upon civilized peoples. But says another 
