onstrued into an intelligible
diagnosis.

In Cooke and Quelet's _Clavis Synoptica Hymenomycetum Europaeorum_
(1878), 1943 species of Agarics are recorded as European, and of these
939 are given as British. The present work includes descriptions of 2750
European species, of which 1553 are British, a number considerably in
excess of that recorded for the species of any other European country.

The species indicated by brackets have not been recorded as British.

G. M.

KEW, _June, 1902_.

AGARICACEAE, Fries.

Hymenium covering the entire surface of radiating lamellae or gills.
Spores one-celled.

Primary divisions of the Agaricaceae depend on the colour of the spores
as seen in the mass, when deposited on an opaque substance; and not as
seen under the microscope by transmitted light.

I. LEUCOSPORAE.

Spores white. In some cases with a tinge of yellow or pink. In some
species of _Russula_ the spores are clear ochre, but such species belong
obviously to _Russula_ notwithstanding.

II. CHLOROSPORAE.

Spores clear green or bluish-green.

III. RHODOSPORAE.

Spores salmon-colour or pink.

IV. OCHROSPORAE.

Spores ochraceous or rust-colour.

V. MELANOSPORAE.

Spores black, blackish-brown, or black with a purple tinge.

LEUCOSPORAE.

I. HAPLOPHYLLAE.
Margin of gills acute; i.e. not longitudinally split or grooved.

* MOLLES. More or less fleshy, soft, and soon decaying or
shrivelling (not corky, woody, or rigid).

+ _Ring, or volva, or both present, or gills free._

=Amanita=. Volva and ring present. Gills usually free, rarely adnexed or
adnate. (Volva sometimes not evident round base of stem, but loose
patches on pileus prove its presence.)

=Amanitopsis=. Volva present, ring absent; gills free.

=Lepiota=. Ring present, volva absent; gills free. (In some sp. the
ring is imperfect, and in a few the gills are slightly attached.)

=Hiatula=. Gills free; volva and ring absent.

=Armillaria=. Ring present, volva absent; gills attached.

++ _Gills adnexed or adnate; ring and volva absent._

=Tricholoma=. Gills sinuate; stem fleshy.

=Russula=. Pileus fleshy; gills very rigid, brittle.

=Mycena=. Pileus slender, campanulate, usually striate, margin straight
and adpressed to stem when young.

=Collybia=. Pileus rather fleshy, more or less plane, margin incurved
when young; stem cartil