plates, illustrating 378 species, with varieties, leaving only about
twenty-six species in this section, which have been recorded ai
British, without figures, including some very doubtful ones. I t
is probable that some of these may yet be obtained and figured as
an appendix.
I t is intended to proG&èd forthwith with th|ppublication of
“ Illustrations ” of the remaining' sections of Agaricus, which it is
estimated will occupy two volumes, including about the samé
number of plates as the two volumes just concluded.
Up to this point it is Considered that the “ Illustrations. 1 will
compare favourably in number with any work hitherto published'"
.Sowerby figured only 165 species of Agaricini, of all k i n ||||j |
Hussey, 80 ; Bolton, 10Sq BulUard, '' ^ 7 lKrdjnbhoJz, »280 p and
Fries’ “ leones ’’ includes :209 species of the Leucospori,""^so that
already a larger number of white-spbh§fr ’AgaricsïÇ have Wen
figured herein than all thé gill-bearing Fungi in Sowerby, Hussey,
and Bolton together, or than wereicontained in the large work by
Krombholz. Although this may fairly jiaim to be a national
work, it is remarkable tha t les® than seventy of ttvfi inhabitants- ##;
the British islands contribute, 'as^'subscribers, to its nuec’eaB and
its. very existence is consequently dependent upon foreign support.
As to execution, an interested party is not a fittin^Ehfige. I t .
may be confessed tha t all Disfigures are n ô f s f -equalpxcellenéft,
but the printer has spared no effort in his endeavours to give satisfaction,
yet, when once prigefl, it is. difficult to ndaljfi correèJ§.ons,
and delicate tones of M u r a r^o ften inappreciable', except I f a
connoisseur. Itlih o u ld also b^remembered, that it is nB t h l
typical form of a species which f§always to ‘be found in ¡PgUpS
locality, and however truly our figures may what we have
seen, it does not follow, as a matter « io u r s e , that they will
BREFACE.- , 3
a l w a y s represent with:, equal-fidelity forms or varieties known to
others. Allowance must therefore be made for reasonable varia-
tiH f a n d a figure does .nqfe merit condemnation because: it fails to
realize the ideal which anyone may have evolved for a particular
species.
I t hasp|een objected, that f a so few instances figuresgof the
spores have been given, and this has been a source of regret, but
the method of printing adopted is not favourable to such small
febjeplflas spoi;es, which require to be rigidly accurate both in form
•’and dimensions. In laving down, the outlines, it is the inner, and
not the, outer surface of the line which boundBth,e object, and
hence in transferring minute objects, they are at once sensibly
diminished, and this diminution has a tendency to increase by the
inward spreading of the: ground colour. For these reasons the
spores have seldom been attempted, and never with complete
satisfaction. In thgsections with coloured spores* hopes are entertained
of surmounting the difficulty.
I cannot permit th e « remarks to close without acknowledging
the assistance so freely rendered by those who have sent me either
Mf§ng specimens, or placed their drawings at my disposal. My
thanks are especially due to the Bev. M. J . Berkeley (M.J.B.),
Miss Berkeley (R.E.B.), C. E. Broome (O.E.B.), Cedric Buck-
nall (C.B.), Dr. .Bull (H.G.B.), Rev. Canon Du Port, T. Howse
(T.H.), G-. Massee (G.M.), W. Phillips (W.P.), C. B. Plow-
right, W . Gr. Smith (W.G.|§), and Rev. John Stevenson. Their
initials are attached to the copies of their drawings. Had it
not been for the kind assistance so freely and cheerfully rendered,
these volumejtcould never have reached so successful a termination.
Abbfe all, the council and experience of my valued friend,
the Rev. M. J . Berkeley, has been to me a tower of strength, given