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mushroom cultivated on a commercial scale in Japan. A book on the use oftimber for growing mushrooms by Juan J. Torres, M.A. Navarette and T. Tamayo(1973) is published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Madrid.

Galina H. Carter

De Nederlandse Myxomyceten by N.E. Nannenga-Bremekamo. Publishedby the Royal Dutch Natural History Society (Koninklijke Nederlandse Natuur-historische Vereniging) pp.440, many figs, 13 uncoloured plates, price DutchGuilders 70.00

The author, who was guest of honour at the Isle of Thorns foray in 1971and reprints of whose papers (in excellent English) are a valuable item in theForay Box, has attempted to fill a gap in her nationals' mycological literatureby writing, in Dutch, this monograph of Dutch Myxomycetes. She has succeededadmirably with this handsome volume, embellished with many of her owndistinctive drawings.

It is refreshing to find an entirely fresh approach to the subject, so manyearlier monographs having been largely copied word for word from their pre-decessors. Many species described in recent years by the author and otherworkers are dealt with for the first time since their original publication and it isconvenient to have them brought together under one cover.

Anyone interested in the group must secure a copy of this book. The effortof acquiring sufficient basic Flemish to use it will be amply repaid.

P.C.H.

The Natural History of Slapton Ley Nature Reserve X : Fungi by D.LHawksworth. Field Studies (1976) 4, 391-439 [Purchaseable from E.W. ClasseyLtd ., Park Road, Faringdon SN7 7DR, price £1.10 post free)

It is always good to welcome a condensate of ecological informationbased on sound determinations, it makes taxonomy and nomenclature thatworthwhile; it is doubly pleasing to have it concisely, clearly and authoritativelypresented. David Hawksworth's publication does just this.

Slapton Ley Nature Reserve in rural Devonshire is a comparatively smallarea but this publication indicates how rich such an area can be and how dedi-cated the collecting, and subsequent follow-up work has been. Out of 949 speciesof fungi recorded (myxornycetes and lichen-forming species are not included) alittle over a quarter are Deuteromycotina (Fungi Imperfecti) and 'Phycomy-cetes'. The rest of the records are almost evenly distributed between the twoorders 'Basidios' and 'Ascos' with a slight bias to the latter probably reflectingDavid's interest. 5.6% were either not previously published as occurring in theBritish Isles (29 species) or new to Science (24 species). This reflects our con-tinuing poor knowledge of the fungi even of a comparatively well workedcountry such as Britain. What hope for the poor Australians!

The check list and locality data will of course be very useful but theeleven tables giving the most conspicuous species within the major habitats andthe fungi of selected hosts will be most valuable.

A recommendable publication summarising eight years hard work in forty-eight pages - a feat in itself, and a very good advert for the Field StudiesCouncil (and Scottish Field Studies Council). Let us hope it encourages natura-lists to take up the intriguing study of fungi!

Roy Watling