110
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
I saw some 20 of these, all of which, save two, were those of T. vulgaris,
but I was informed by the head gardener that practically all the nests
destroyed belonged to either V. vulgaris or V. germanica, and that the
nests of each species appeared to be segregated on different sides of the
estate. He could not account for this.
Between Walthamstow and Chingford I personally took 21 nests be-
tween June and December, 1921, 14 being V. germanica and 7 V. vulgaris.
The prevalence of these two common species and the almost total absence
of V. rufa, V. norvegica and V. sylvestris in this part of the country during
the year seem to suggest that when the common or ground building species
are exceptionally plentiful, the less common species, which usually occur
in the district, are crowded out by competition.—Charles Nicholson,
f.e.s.
The Stinkhorn Fungus (Ithyphallus impudicus).—Everyone familiar
with our Essex woodlands must be familiar also with this remarkable
fungus—or, at any rate, with its disgusting odour; for it grows, I believe,
in most woods throughout the county and it advertises its presence therein
very effectively by means of its much-more-than-remarkable smell.
The fungus occurs, as a rule, sparingly and sporadically, either singly
or in small numbers. It was not until the year 1911 that I saw it growing
anywhere in Essex in anything like considerable numbers. In that year
I saw it growing very freely in Broom Wood, Chignal St. James, adjoining
my own garden. During the two succeeding years its numbers increased
steadily, and this led me to observe it specially.
In the summer of 1914 the numbers seemed to reach a climax; for,
at the end of May or beginning of June in that year, examples sprang
up in extraordinary abundance in all parts of the wood. They were often
to be seen in groups, generally around the rotting stump, or "stool," of
some coppiced hornbeam or beneath the dark shade of a thick bush of the
same. They continued to spring up, though in decreasing numbers,
until the late autumn, in spite of a severe drought then prevailing. About
the end of November the phenomenon largely ceased, but on 15th January
following (1915) I noticed one specially large and fine example beneath
a bush.
After this I saw no more Stinkhorns until about the first week in
June, after which they again became numerous—so much so that a walk
through the wood was rendered quite unpleasant by reason of the all-
pervading smell they emitted. As in the previous year, they grew largely
in groups and flourished in spite of the extremely dry weather which was
then again prevalent. Later, the appearance of fresh plants ceased almost
entirely, but about the middle of September a new crop began to appear,
and for some time examples were again abundant. After this, distractions
due to the war prevented further observations, but I believe that in
succeeding years the fungus appeared in normal numbers only.
It was always interesting to watch the development of an individual
Stinkhorn. First of all, one saw a small round white object, resembling
a marble, growing half hidden among the fallen leaves of oak and horn-
beam. This increased slowly and became eventually about the size of
an ordinary hen's egg—in fact, it looked, both in colour and shape, just