THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
59
quantity of material brought in for determination : the white-spored agarics
formed the majority. He remarked on the rarity of that beautiful form,
the Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria, which usually occurs in profusion in the
Forest each year. He concluded with some hints to those students who
were just taking up the study of the fungi.
Mr. Pearson considered that the study of the agarics should begin in
August of each year, as seasonal changes occurred : for instance, Russulas
found in the autumn were white-spored, but those found during the
summer were yellow-spored. He agreed that the day's results were
rather disappointing as regards variety.
Mr. Ramsbottom, discussing the edible qualities of the agarics, suggested
humorously that they might be divided into "those good to eat, and
those eaten only on the Continent," he considered that the present classi-
fication of fungi, although convenient, was not always in accordance with
their natural affinities. He remarked that, from his experience of twenty
years of Epping Forest forays he was of opinion that some so-called
"common" fungi are in reality rare, being possibly frequent one year and
then rarely met with during a cycle of years : there was evidently a certain
periodicity in fungi. One form met with that day, Armillaria mellea var.
tabescens, was an interesting fungus not usually found.
Miss Lister reported that sixteen myxomycetes had been found that
day, a surprisingly small number. She thought that here too periodicity
had come into play : for instance, that usually abundant form, Badhamia
utricularis, had to-day been found only once, in its plasmodium stage. On
the other hand, quite a rare form, Diderma floriforme, had turned up.
The Chairman voiced the thanks of those present to our directors and
referees, and the Hon. Secretary proposed a vote of thanks to the Chair-
man for presiding : these were warmly accorded and the meeting ter-
minated.
Mr. Pearson has since sent in the following report on the fungi found
during the Foray.
The delay in sending the account of the Fungus Foray on the 15th
October is due to a very puzzling Russula which Mr. Gould and I gathered.
Finally I came to the conclusion that it must be a species described by Mel-
zer and Zvara in Czechoslovakia five years ago. Fortunately I had dried
some specimens and was able to send one to Mr. Melzer who replied that
it was without any doubt Russula Velenovskyi.
In spite of the scarcity of fungi in the Forest, the total number of
species collected was 161, which is above the average of the last few years.
The following are new records for Epping Forest :—
Collybia fumosa (Pers.) Quel.
Mycena filopes (Bull.) Fr.
Inocybe scabella Fr.
Russula Velenovskyi Melzer and Zvara. (Ceske Holubinky 1927).
Pileus : 3.7cm. at first convex, then flattened and depressed in centre,
brownish red (light brick colour) rather darker in centre, mat, cuticle
cracked 2cm. from periphery, the cracks being mostly very thin,
but some were 1 to 2mm. wide. This cracking appeared in all our
specimens, small and large, even in those just appearing above the
ground. One may, however, expect it to be absent sometimes.