182 THE ESSEX NATURALIST. 
mends a shovel, but as it is not possible to use such a tool in 
Epping Forest or in other woodlands to which there is access, 
different means must beemployed. It has been possible to collect 
mycorrhiza with the aid of a small trowel or scout’s knife from 
those trees that grow on a bank which slopes rapidly in one 
direction, for in such situations roots are often conveniently 
near the surface. 
On holding up to the light a bottle or tube containing fungus- 
root which has been rinsed in water, a large number of hyphal 
threads can be easily seen by the aid of a hand-lens of a magnify- 
ing power of X6 or X8. Besides the attenuated threads, many 
others of greater thickness and broad bands of fungoid substance 
are visible. The humus in which mycorrhiza flourish is thoroughly 
permeated with the hyphe of many kinds of fungi. 
Hyphe attached to fungus-roots vary in colour from white 
through yellow to brown, and the mycorrhiza which they form 
are, when young, of a corresponding shade. 
The number of fungi that are known to form mycorrhiza. 
is small. Peyronel5 states that ‘‘ The total number of Basidio- 
mycetes forming fungus-roots is a little less than twenty.” 
He especially mentions Amanita muscaria, Lactarius necator 
Pers (= L. turpis (Weinm), Fr.), Boletus scaber and Scleroderma 
vulgare as fungi which form mycorrhiza on the silver birch, 
Boletus chrysenteron and Scleroderma vulgare as forming them on. 
beech, and Boletus rufus (Schaeff) Quél. (= B. versipellis Fr.) 
on the aspen. All of these, with the exception of the last-named, 
are quite common in Epping Forest. They are exhibited on the 
tables at every foray. Noack® found five species of agarics. 
that were apparently mycorrhiza producers on the forest trees. 
in the locality where he made his observations; two were 
Tricholomas and three Cortinari. 
Mycorrhiza are not suitable for herbarium purposes, but. 
they can be preserved satisfactorily in formalin. 
After reaching home my gatherings have been washed in. 
slowly running water. This removes loose soil and decaying 
vegetation without unduly breaking hyphe from the points: 
of attachment. 
For further investigation microtome sections are necessary.. 
5. Peyronel, M. Beniamino. Bull. Trimes. de la Soc. Mycol. de France. 
6. Noack, R., Ueber Mycorhizenbildende Pilze, Bot. Zeit., 47, p. 389, 1889. 
