211.0 Transactions British Mycological Socie(y. Vermicularia Dematiuln (Pers.) Fr. on woody stem. Vermicularia trichella Fr. on ivy leaf. Periconia pycnospora Fres. on stem.

H. C. HAWLEY. September 1923.

REVIEW. A Handbook of the Larger British Fungi, by JOHN RAMSBOTTOM,

O.B.E., M.A., F.L.S. Pp. 222,141 figures in the text. Printed by order of the Trustees of the British Museum, 1923. 7s. 6d. The present book originated in the necessity for a new edition

of the Guide to Sowerby's Models of British Fungi, and is there- fore necessarily somewhat limited in its form and arrangement. Mr Ramsbottom has however succeeded most happily in so revising the matter and correlating it with more recent work that the book forms now an excellent introduction to the study of the larger British fungi. Beginners to whom the fuller systematic works are bewildering will much appreciate the clear, brief presentation of all the British genera of Basidiomycetes and the larger Ascomycetes.

In the fourteen pages of introductory matter Mr Ramsbottom has contrived to pack an amazing amount of interesting and up-to-date information on such subjects as "Fairy Rings," Mycorrhiza, Luminosity of fungi, Chemical characters, such as colouring matters and poisonous principles, Ecology of fungi, etc. Further there is a brief introduction to each order embody- ing the results of recent work on anatomy, cytology and develop- ment.

Genera which are not re~resented bv models in the Sowerbv collection are printed in skaller type. keferences are also to the collection of coloured drawings of fungi by W. G. Smith exhibited in the Botanical Department of the British Museum. Where the names given to species, in accordance with the book's function as a Guide, do not coincide with those accepted in modern usage, Mr Ramsbottom has added the newer name in brackets and italicised, so that there should be no difficulty in correlation with other works.

The selection of species for mention has been based on their edible or poisonous qualities, and this fact, together with the general information given as to the food value of fungi and the

Review. Handbook of Fungi. 241

poisons contained in certain species, should render the book popular and useful to those interested in this side of the subject.

The genera are illustrated by W. G. Smith's line drawings as in the original Guide.

For the specific names of Agarics Mr Ramsbottom has followed the system of citation of authors adopted by W. G. Smith in his Synops is of Brit ish Basidionycetes. Although strictly in accordance with the International Rules of Nomenclature as they stand a t present, the method in this particular case is open to serious objections on the ground of convenience, with no particular compensating argument in its favour. I t seems very desirable that the next International Congress should pass the recommendation brought forward by the late Professor G. F. Atkinson in 1910, that the subdivisions of Agaricus used by Fries in his Sys f cmn Mycologic.uwi should be treated as having been employed as genera a t the time of the publication of that work.

A few slips occur which should be corrected in any future edition. On p. 10 under the section on Mycorrhiza the reference to Corticium should obviously apply to Rhizoctonia solani and not to R. violncea as stated. In the key to the genera of Agari- caceae on p. 20 beginners may be misled by the placing of Anellaria (spelt Annelaria) on a level with Amanita, as if it possessed a volva. Such slips, however, are very few, and typo- graphical errors are so rare that no others have been detected.

OBITUARY NOTICE. HENRY CUSACK WINGFIELD HAWLEY (1876-1923).

SIR HENRY CUSACK WINGFIELD HAWLEY, Bt., died a t Bourne- mouth on November 18th~ 1923, and was buried at Leybourne Grange, West Malling, Kent. He was born on Dec. 23rd, 1876, and after being a t Parkside, Worcester Park, went to Eton and thence to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he took honours in Moderations and History. After leaving Oxford he read for the Bar and was a member of the Society of the Inner Temple but never practised. He succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1909 and was the 6th baronet.

In Sept. 1914 he obtained a commission in the 8th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, proceeded as Captain to France and served in the firing-line till the Armistice; after which he commanded a Labonr Company till his demobilisation in May 1919.