tion after Dr. Schreibers, (whom, I am happy to learn from Prof. Agassiz still survives, contrary to my impressions when I named the mineral,) I am unable to conjecture.

Fischer finds the insoluble matter to consist of:

He concludes that the Braunau iron consists of 95 to 98 p. c. of nickeliferous iron, with traces of cobalt, calcium, magnesium, chlorine, &c., (the sulphur and chromium, found by him and Duflos, appearing to belong to the pyrites and the insoluble, scaly mineral. He thinks that the constitution of the nickel-iron will not be found constant throughout the mass; and that no two analyses will give constant results.

The little balls of diffused pyrites are found to be a peculiar chemical compound of a simple sulphuret of iron and nickel, since it dissolves in hydrochloric acid at common temperatures with the evolution of hydrosulphuric acid, unattended by the separation of sulphur,-there remaining only a little residuum (about 1 p. c.) which contains chromium, carbon and silica.

The dyslytite constitutes the remaining ingredient of the iron; and is everywhere diffused through its mass. To its presence, Fischer, (after the suggestion of Berzelius,) attributes the Widmannstättian figures of meteoric irons.

All these ingredients are more or less crystallized. They are also magnetic; the nickel-iron and the dyslytite with polarity, the latter more so than the former; while the magnetic pyrites is simply attracted by the magnet.

New Haven, August 29, 1848.

ART. XXXIII.-Contributions to the Mycology of North America; by M. A. CURTIS.

THE history of Mycology in this country is soon told. Passing by the few species noticed by Plukenet, Clayton, Walter, and the almost always doubtful matter of Rafinesque, we find M. Bosc first giving any definite and intelligent attention to our Fungi.

In 1811, he published in the Berlin Magazine several new species found near Charleston, S. C., where, like Delile at Wil

mington, N. C., he held the office of French Consul. His new species, which are all interesting, do not exceed half a dozen; and only one-the curious Hyperhiza-retains the place he gave them. Agaricus dorsalis, Bosc,-a very handsome species-belongs to Panus, Fries. This is very common in both Carolinas upon pine logs and stumps. Lycoperdon heterogeneum, Bosc, -a beautiful Fungus-belongs to Mitremyces, Nees. L. transversarium, Bosc, is Cauloglossum transversarium, Fries. And L. cyathiforme, Bosc, I suspect is a state of L. Bovista, Linn.

Dr. Muhlenberg established the fine genus, Glonium. Beyond this I am not aware that he added anything new.

The largest additions to the knowledge of Fungi in this country were made by the learned Schweinitz. He had already acquired a European reputation by a valuable local work on Fungi, prepared by himself and Albertini It is in this department of botany that he was especially skilled and successful, though he is generally better known among us for his investigations in other orders. In 1820, he published in the Leipsic Transactions, under the editorship of Schwægrichen, his FUNGI CAROLINE SUPERIORIS, being an enumeration of species already published which he had detected in North Carolina, with descriptions of new ones. The number of species in that paper is 1373.

In 1831, Mr. Schweinitz published in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia, a "Synopsis Fungorum in America Boreali media degentium." This includes all the species of the former paper, and like that, is composed of enumeration and description. It includes 3098 species, of which over twelve hundred are given as first discovered by himself. From these some deduction must be made for bad species, Mycelia, pseudo-Fungi, and a few already described by others. Still his additions, confined as his examinations were to small districts, must be considered very large and interesting. Some half dozen new genera were founded by this author.

The late Mr. Lea of Ohio, had given some attention to this class of plants. His small collection was sent to the Rev. M. J. Berkeley of England. It comprised thirty or fórty undescribed species, part of which have been published by Mr. B. in Hooker's London Journal of Botany. This accomplished mycologist has also published a few other species from different parts of North America, which have been easily gathered by various collectors. Among them is a species of Cyclomyces-C. Greenei, Berk.—a very interesting addition to our Fungi, discovered by B. T. Greene, Esq., at Tewksbury, Mass.

At present I do not know that any American botanist is giving this obscure but interesting order any special attention, except H. W. Ravenel, Esq., of South Carolina, and myself.

In the present paper are enumerated two decades of Fungi not before included in any American publication, and one of new species. They are taken at random from lists of several hundred, which will be published from time to time hereafter. То асknowledge a heavy debt of obligation, and to insure to the following list an authority which I could not myself give it, I must here state that nearly all the species have passed under the eye of my very attentive and generous correspondent, Mr. Berkeley.

The species requiring illustration will be figured with others in a future number of the Journal.

1. AGARICUS RACHODES, Vettadini.—Ad radicem arboris mortuæ. Hillsborough, N. C.

2. MARASMIUS HEMATOCEPHALUS, Fries.-Ad terram, fimum, ramulosque dejectos in graminosis, Hillsborough; item, Santee Canal, S. C.! ex Ravenel.

3. POLYPORUS MENANDIANUS, Mont.-In ramis emortuis. Hillsborough, N. C.

4. P. NEELGERRHENSIS, Mont.-Ad truncos prostratos præsertim Liriodendri. Hillsborough.

5. P. SULLIVANTII, Mont.—In ramis dejectis. Hillsborough. 6. HEXAGONA SERICEO-HIRSUTA, Fries.-Ad truncos cariosos. Santee Canal, S. C.! Mr. Ravenel.

7. BOLETUS SATANAS, Lenz.-Ad terram in sylvis. Hillsborough.

8. BOLETUS ANANAS, n. sp.-Pileus pulvinatus, crasse et rigide verrucoso-floccosus, luteus, ad basin floccorum venis carneis variegatus; margine tenui; hymenio plano, ad stipitem depresso, sulphureo fulvescente, vulneribus viridescentibus; tubulis mediis, obtuse angulatis; stipite lævi, solido, albo; sporidiis ferrugineis. Species pulcherrima, subter truncos Pineos prostratos. Aug., Sept. Society Hill, S. C.; item, Santee Canal! Ravenel.

Pileus 3-4 inches broad, 1 thick. Tubes line in diameter. Stipe about 3 inches long, - inches thick, the base somewhat enlarged. In habit approaches B. strobilaceus, Scop., otherwise very different.

9. GEOFLOSSUM DIFFORME, Fries.-Ad terram in sylvis humidis. Society Hill.

10. TYPHULA TENUISSIMA, n. sp.-Simplex, gregaria, lævis, setaceo-filiformis, acutissime attenuata, pallida; stipite fusco-nigro; tuberculo nullo. In foliis putrescentibus Phaseoli. Aug., Sept. Society Hill. -1 inch long, about line thick.

11. STICTIS SESLERIE, Lib.-In vaginis imis emortuis Andropogonis. Santee Canal. Mr. Ravenel.

12. SPERMEDIA TRIPSACI, n. sp.-Lineari-lanceolata, lenta, squamosa, pallida, apice fuliginea. E seminibus Tripsaci. Hillsborough, N. C.

About inch long, 1 line thick. In texture this is very unlike S. Clavus.

13. SPHERIA NOTARISII, Mont. In ramulis emortuis Gleditschiæ et Robiniæ. Hillsborough, N. C.

14. DOTHIDEA PTERIDIS, Reb.—In frondibus Pteridis aquilinæ. Rhode Island. Misit J. Olney.

15. GEASTER SACCATUS, Fries.-Ad terram juxta truncos cariosos prostratos. Santee Canal, S. C. Ravenel.-This is a Brazilian species, and an interesting addition to our Flora.

16. PHYSARUM DECIPIENS, n. sp.-Adnatum, globosum et ovale (vel confluens, inde lineare et reniforme,) olivaceo-virente flavescens, rugulosum, indefinite diffractum. Floccis aureis. Sporidiis nigris. Ad truncum vivum Quercus. Aug.-Dec. Society Hill, S. C.

Less than a line broad, mostly simple. Morphosis not seen. Continues five to seven days.

17. STEMONITIS TENERRIMA, n. sp.-Sparsa, absque hypothallo, peridio ovato, acuto; capillitio sporidiisque pallide ferrugineis; stipes 2-3plo longior, subulatus, attenuatus, niger, nitens, toto penetrans. Ad caules herbarum putrescentium. Society Hill. About a line high.

18. LACHNOBOLUS CRIBROSUS, Fries.-Ad runcum Quercus prostratum. Hillsborough.

19. HELMINTHOSPORIUM MACROCARPON, Grev.-In ramis variis emortuis. N. and S. Carolina.

20. HELMINTHOSPORIUM RAVENELII, n. sp.-Longe effusum, velutinum, fusco-olivaceum; fibris dense aggregatis, obtusis, nodosis, pellucidis; sporidiis elliptico-oblongis, 3-4 septatis.-Totam paniculam Sporoboli Indici investiens. July-Oct. N. and S. Carolina.

This is so common upon Sporobolus Indicus, that it is difficult to obtain specimens not wholly blackened by this Fungus. It is perhaps from this that it has gotten the name of "black seed grass." The seeds are far from black.

21. HELICOMA BERKELEYI, n. sp.-Fibris aggregatis, atris, ramosis, opacis, septatis, flexuosis, fragilibus; sporis helicoideis, reniformibus, opacis, multiseptatis; sporidiis biseriatis non sece

dentibus.-Ad corticem et lignum Corni floridæ et Liquidambaris, Society Hill; item, Salicis Babylonicæ, Santee Canal; Ravenel.

Appearing as black spots of two lines to several inches extent; the flocci invisible to the naked eye.

22. TRIPOSPORIUM ELEGANS, Corda.-Ad caules herbarum in quisquiliis. Society Hill.

23. ASPERGILLUS MAXIMUS, Lk.-Ad Polyporos mucidos. Society Hill.

24. OIDIUM PULVINATUM, n. sp.-Cæspitulis pulvinatis, compactis, primo ochroleucis dein aureis; floccis fertilibus in articulos globosos ovalesque secedentibus.-Ad ligna putrida, Society Hill; item, Santee Canal; Ravenel.

Tufts roundish, 1-2 lines broad and high, sometimes confluent. An elegant species.

25. PESTALOZZIA PEZIZOIDES, De Notaris.-In ramis mortuis Vitis ripariæ. Hillsborough.

26. AREGMA MUÇRONATUM, D. C.-In foliis Rosarum. Hillsborough.

27. PUCCINIA AMORPHE, n. sp.-Amphigena. Soris sparsis et approximatis in macula flavescente, subrotundis, nigris; sporidiis compactis, ovalibus, raro globosis, in medio constrictis, opacis ; pedicello brevi aut nullo. Ad folia Amorphæ herbaceæ, Society Hill; item, A. fruticosa, Santee Canal, Ravenel.-Sporidia remarkable for a loose transparent vesicular (?) epidermis often enclosing and bordering the opake nucleus.

28. CRONARTIUM ASCLEPIADEUM, Kunze.-In foliis Comptoniæ. Hillsborough.

29. UREDO PRUNASTRI, D. C.-In foliis Amygdali Persicæ. Society Hill.

30. UREDO HYPTIDIS, n. sp.-Sparsa et fasciculata, maculis emarcescentibus; pseudo-peridia parva, convexa, rotunda vel oblonga, lutescentia. Sporidia ochroleuca, ovalia obovata et subglobosa, minima, subpellucida, (sporidiolis farcta?) raro subpedicellata. In utraque pagina foliorum, in caulibus, bracteis, floribusque, Hyptidis radiatæ.

The nearest affinity of this species seems to be with U. Labiatarum, D. C.-Santee Canal, Ravenel.

SECOND SERIES, Vol. VI, No. 18.-Nov., 1848.

46