THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 235
CRYPTOGAMIC FORAY (723RD MEETING).
SATURDAY, 11TH NOVEMBER, 1933.
Thirty-six members and visitors took part in this Foray, which was
held in the Theydon Bois and Highbeach districts of Epping Forest ; the
Referees being :—
For mosses and hepatics, Mr. W. R. Sherrin, A.L.S. ;
For lichens, Mr. P. Thompson, F.L.S. ; and
For fungi and myxomycetes, Miss G. Lister, F.L.S., and Mr. J. Ross.
Assembled at Theydon Bois station at 11.21 o'clock, the party pursued
divers routes through the woodlands, as suggested by the nature of the
several objects sought for. The weather was fair and dry, although rather
cold, and the autumn tints of the trees, delayed beyond their usual season
as a result of the abnormal summer, were at their best and elicited the
outspoken admiration of the visitors.
By 4 o'clock, or shortly after, the scattered party had re-assembled
at the Roserville Retreat at Highbeach for tea : following which a formal
meeting of the Club was held, with the President in the Chair.
After welcoming the visitors present, the President called upon the
referees in turn for their reports on the day's finds.
Miss Lister reported a total yield of 27 species of myxomycetes, but
pointed out that, of these, 18 species had been gathered by Mr. Ross, some
of them in the Chingford district, on his way through the Forest to the
place of meeting that morning. She considered this result highly satis-
factory, although Mr. Ross, who spoke next, expressed disappointment
that those forms which were expected to be found on fallen logs had not
been much in evidence that day.
Mr. Sherrin reported that 42 true mosses and 3 sphagna, also 10 hepatics
were his "bag" for the day. Hypnum aduncum, var. polycarpum, forma
acanthoclada had not hitherto been recorded from the Forest ; Hypnum
cordifolium was another moss of unusual occurrence. The rare hepatic
Ricciocarpus natans was again found on this occasion.
Mr. Thompson said that he had but 15 lichens to record for the day's
Foray ; he was of opinion that the drought of the past summer had to
some extent affected the lichens, indifferent as they usually are to desicca-
tion, as the heath-forms of Cladonia were obviously less developed as
regards apothecia than they might be expected to be at this time of year.
Yet some of the soil-lichens, as Lecideas uliginosa and granulosa, had been
found in good fruit. Cladonia digitata was one of the more interesting
forms recorded that day.
The President thanked the referees for their services, and the visitors
dispersed.
Miss Lister has submitted the following detailed report on the results
of the Foray as regards the myxomycetes.
The number of species found was twenty-seven, of which eleven
had not been seen on the Fungus Foray of October 14; these eleven in-
cluded Craterium leucocephalum on holly leaves, Leocarpus fragilis which
developed into characteristic shining brown sporangia from yellow plas-
modium found streaming over Rhododendron leaves, sticks, etc., Collo-
derma oculatum in a familiar haunt on an oak log, Cribraria vulgaris and