THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
271
Hill, the "Wake Arms," and the western slopes of the Forest about
Honey Lane Quarters, to High Beach, collecting en route. After tea
at the Roserville Retreat, the various Conductors reported on the day's
finds, and votes of thanks were passed to them for their services.
Miss G. Lister reports as follows :—
MYCETOZOA FOUND ON THE CLUB'S FORAY, 10th
NOVEMBER 1917.
In contrast with the Fungus Foray three weeks previously, Mycetozoa
were now rampant and many conspicuous growths were met with.
Twenty-eight species were obtained.
Badhamia utricularis was abundant in the yellow plasmodium stage,
feeding on the wealth of Stereum, Phlebia, and other leathery fungi growing
on prostrate logs.
Physarum nutans in its typical "nodding" form, as well as the var.
leucophaeum and var. robustum, was also abundant.
Physarum sinuosum (Bull.) Hornem and P. vernum Somm. var.
iridescens were found among dead holly leaves, as also were Craterium
minutum, Diachaea leucopoda (Bull.) Rost., Diderma effusum (Schw.)
Morg., Didymium squamulosum, D. nigripes, D. melanospermum var.
minus, Comatricha pulchella and Lamproderma scintillans. Diderma radia-
tum (L.) Lister was also obtained on dead leaves ; the sporangia are
somewhat unusual in having the pale outer layer of the wall turning
back in petal-like lobes and separating from the inner layer ; more often
(in British specimens at least) the two layers remain united and the
sporangium dehisces irregularly.
Diderma floriforme was seen in perfect condition on an old oak log.
Leocarpus fragilis and Comatricha nigra were found on sticks.
Stemonitis fusca was found as plasmodium, which developed into
sporangia indoors.
Enerthenema papillatum (Bab.) Rost. was abundant on a decaying
oak log, in company with fine growths of species of Trichia and Arcyria.
Fuligo septica, Diclydiaethalium plumbeum, Trichia affinis De Bary,
T. persimilis Karsten, T. decipiens, T. Botrytis and T. varia were all found
on dead wood, the last named species being extremely abundant and
showing a great variety of forms.
Arcyria ferrug nea Sauter was seen forming an almost continuous
layer of rosy plasmodium emerging from rotten wood ; some days later
it developed into typical brick-red sporangia.
A. incarnata Pers, was found on its favourite habitat, old oak wood.
A. denudata was refreshingly abundant, with newly-formed crimson
sporangia.
The total number of species obtained in our last two forays is thirty-
seven. This success was due, no doubt, in part to the favourable moist
season, but it is also due to the increased interest in Mycetozoa among
our members, and to the efforts of a larger number of enthusiastic hunters.
Besides the two species new to Essex referred to above (viz., Diderma
deplanatum Fries and Trichia verrucosa Berk., a third, Didymium Trochus
Lister, has been noticed for the first time in the county during the
past summer. A small slender sessile form of this species was abundant