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THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
The Ninth Annual Cryptogamic and Botanical Meeting.
Saturday, October 27th, 1888.
This assembly, which has been held every year since the establishment of the
Club, came off under very pleasant meteorological conditions, October 27th being
one of those spring-like days for which the autumn of 1888 has been memorable.
A departure from the usual programme had been projected, so that other parts of
Essex, less explored by the mycological botanist, could be requisitioned to furnish
forth the tables of named specimens in the meeting-room. But unavoidable cir-
cumstances connected with Dr. Cooke's and the Secretary's engagements had
made it imperative to postpone the foray to a date when shortened days would
render it unwise to initiate any departure from the usual programme, and con-
sequently it had been thought best to defer any visit to "fresh woods and pastures
new," in search of fungi, until another season. This necessity was the more
regretted, inasmuch as the early autumn had been very favourable for the growth
of fungi, whereas, later on, the night frosts were detrimental to many delicate
species.
The Hackney Microscopical Society held their annual hunt in the forest on
September 8th, exploring Hawk Wood, Bury Wood, Woodman's Glade, High
Beach, etc., under Dr. Cooke's and Mr. Massee's guidance, and more than 130
species of the larger fungi were gathered, including the following new to the
forest list:—
Russula granulosa, Cooke. ("Gre-
villea," xvii., 40.)
R. fallax.
R. armeniaca.—Fairmead.
Cortinarius rigidus.
Hygrophorus calyptraeformis.
Cortinarius caninus.
Cantharellus infundibuliformis.
Agaricus (Pleteus) nanus.
Lactarius aurantiacus, Fl. Dan. t.
1909.—New to Britain. On the
ground, Fairmead. (" Grevillea,"
xvii., 39.)
Russula maculata, Quel. New to
Britain. (" Grevillea," xvii., 40.)
Agaricus (Naucoria) subglobosus, Alb.
and Schw. Syll. 3406. New to
Britain. On the ground, Wood-
man's Glade. (" Grevillea," xvii., 38.)
Hypoxylon cohaerens.
Sphaerotheca pannosa.
Scolecotrichum uniseptatum, B. and C.
New to Britain. On dead wood.
(" Grevillea," xvii., 41.)
Comatricha typhina.
C. friesiana.
Physarum cinereum.
Fuligo varians.
Isaria farinosa.
Licea applanata.
The exertions of the members of our own Club on October 27th were less
successful, owing partly to the lateness of the meeting, and partly, no doubt, to
the extreme dryness of the soil about High Beach, which was the principal scene
of operations. Some night frosts which prevailed previous to the meeting also
did much damage. Dr. Cooke and Mr. George Massee again most kindly acted as
"conductors" and "referees," arriving with a small party at Chingford about
10 o'clock, and were driven by the Secretary to High Beach. Other parties
arrived at Loughton during the day, where they were also met by the Secretary,
and directed to the rendezvous. One large party went on to Theydon Bois, and
walked back through the woods to Buckhurst Hill, collecting on the way. Early
in the afternoon, Dr. Cooke and Mr. Massee established themselves in the meet-
ing-room at the "Roebuck" Hotel, Buckhurst Hill, and entered upon the task
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