determining tlie more minute species without any notion of
tlieir characters, variations, ami structure, will end in nothing
sound and satisfactory, while few exercises of the mental powers
can be more improving than a diligent study of such a genua
as Agaricus.
I wish it to be understood distinctly that I have not aimed
at originality in defining the genera and species, but have
adopted the best characters wherever I could find them, and
I regret that, from an accident in transmission, I have not
been able to avail myself of more than a small portion of
Fries’s latest work on the Hymenomycetes, which is unpublished.
Of the figures it will be sufficient to say that the greater
part have been drawn by Mr. Fitch, whose talents as a
draughtsman are too well known to require any recommendation.
To Mr. Broome, who has for so many years been my
fellow-labourer, I have been indebted for much assistance in
the course of the work, as also to Mr. Currey. I t is to their
labours principally that the enormous increase in the list of
Fungi since the publication of the ‘English Flora’ is due,
amounting now to more than 2,380 species.
K in g ’s Cl i i 'f e ,
August, 18G0.
EXPLANATION OE THE PLATES.
PLATE I.
Fig. 1. A. Agaricus grammocephnlus.
a. spores.
h. spicules 01- sterigmata.
e. sporophores or basidia.
d. tissue of trama.
B. A. cretaceus.
Fig. 2. Peziza cupulavis.
b. sporidium.
Fig. 3..Hymenogaster tener.
Showing spore surrounded by a sac, which sometimes contains a
second spore.
Fig. 4. Puccinia graminis.
Fig. 5. Tilletia Caries.
a. spore sprouting, and crowned with processes.
h. processes anastomosing.
c. one of ditto, bearing secondary spores (after Tulasne).