232
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Peziza scutellata. Hairy Peziza ; on cow dung at Wal-
thamstow.
Tremella Auricula. Jew's Ear ; on stumps of dead trees
at Walthamstow.
Tremella Juniperina. Yellow Tremella ; on rotten sticks
at Walthamstow.
Tremella purpurea. Purple Tremella ; on dead sticks very
common at Walthamstow.
The second son, Benjamin Meggot Forster (1764-1829), has,
I think, had insufficient credit given to him for his mycological
studies ; "B. M. Forster etait aussi botaniste particulierement
"distingue par ses illustrations des Fungi; c'etait un homme
"d'une bonte, d'un talent, d'une excentricite extraordinaire ;
"sa vie merite d'etre ecrite separement, elle remplirait un
"volume. Ses decouvertes en electricite et ses experiences en
"galvanisme restent encore en manuscrit. Il avait les moeurs
"les plus simples avec un esprit profond, et trop de sensibilite
"pour les malheurs des autres; mais comme beaucoup de
"philosophes, il meprisait tout-a-fait les prejuges et meme
"les opinions dumonde. Le Philosophical Magazine de Londres
"est plein de ses ecrits sur la physique, particulierement
"l'electricite."
"Il est auteur du bill du Parlement qui rend le vol ou la
"seduction d'un enfant du soin de sa mere, un crime penal.
"Il fut toute sa vie l'ennemi de la superstition, et il mourut,
"comme il avait vecu, tranquillement, mais subitement."
So far as I have been able to find out he published only three
mycological papers. The first of these is a two page description
of Peziza cuticulosa. This pamphlet is extremely rare. The
copy in the British Museum reads as follows:—Peziza cuticulosa.
Cuticle Peziza. Class and Order: Cryptogamia Fungi. Gen.
Character. Fungus campanulatus sessilis.* Spec. Character.
Peziza (cuticulosa) acaulis cyathiformis membranacea alba,
margine acuto. Shape and size various, 1-16th to 1-18th of an
inch diameter, mouth generally downwards, substance resembles
the human scarf-skin or cuticle. Found on decayed grass, etc.,
on moist banks at Walthamstow and Leyton, Essex, Nov.-Feb.
The small figures on the plate natural size. *N.B. A proper
character is wanting for this Genus. 1792 (in ink). The plate
is dated "1786, B.M.F."