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Abstract

A FIELD guide and mentor is a welcome companion for the practical botanist, provided it is so compiled as to meet all the requirements of field work, otherwise it is merely “a delusion and a snare.” This little volume, unfortunately, belongs to the “otherwise,” for it is insufficient, antiquated, and misguiding: insufficient, because it includes only a few species under each genus or sub-genus, and these have been selected without manifest reason; antiquated, because, although dated 1887, it is based upon the state of this branch of science in 1871, and might have been published at that date, for all internal evidence to the contrary; and misguiding, because the errors of 1871 are not corrected, the illustrative figures are entirely without names of the species intended to be represented, and more important or essential species are excluded than many of those included in the lists.

The Fungus Hunter's Guide and Field Memorandum Book, with Analytical Keys to the Orders and Genera, illustrated, and Notes of Important Species.

By W. Delisle Hay (London: Swan Sonnenschein, Lowrey, and Co., 1887.)