P R E F A C E .
In 1797 Sowerby published bis “ Coloured Figures of British
Fungi,” rsinee which time no effort has been made to produce'
figures of all the known specie®, of the larger Fungi, belonging to
the order Ilymenomyceles. In 1867 the venerable’Fries commenced
the publication of his “ leones ” in which it was proposed to
illustrate all the European species of which no figures had been
published. For the rest the British Mycologist had to purchase
numerous and expensive works, which had from time to time appeared
in different European countries, and in many of these the
figures were not absolutely satisfactory. To meet the requirements
of the British student of Fungi a work was long felt desirable
which should include coloured figures of all the known British
specie®, and I was often urged to undefttakff^ich a work, but the
magnitude and responsibility of the undertaking deterred me for
a long period from making the attempt.
At the meeting of the Woolhope Club, in the autumn of 1880,
the subje'ct was-again considered, and I was induced to commence
these “ Illustrations” provided a sufficient number of subscribers
could be secured to guarantee the continuance of the work, and
limit the pecuniary responsibility within reasonable bounds.
Although hitherto the.receipts have fallen short of the expenditure,
the arduous undertaking has been pursued without interruption,
or recompense, until the section Leucospori of the large genus
Agar-icus has been completed in two volumes, containing 292