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Bulletin of the British Mycological Society Volume 6 Part 2. Autumn 1972

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THE TRANSACTIONS?

Council recently discussed the content, format and appearance of the Trans-actions. Many interesting suggestions for improving our journal were broughtforward and some of these are being discussed with the Press to see what isinvolved in terms of expense and efficiency. There is no intention of making anyhasty changes in the now almost traditional character of the Transactions, andCouncil is most anxious that all members should have the opportunity of ex-press ing their opinions. So if you have any criticisms or proposals for improvingthe Transactions, please write to the Secretary or to the Sen ior Ed itor who willthen be able to pass these views to Council before any de cision is taken.

One point on which we should like guidance is the title. There are obviouslyweighty reasons for sticking to a long established title but some people feel that"Transactions of the British Mycological Society" is unwieldy and old-fashionedand inaccurate. But can you suggest an alternative whi ch is brief, modern andis not already pre-empted by some other journal?

Another source of criticism has been the 'sober grey'* cover. Should this beenlivened by a different colour and layout?

Unfortunately all proposals for change have to be finally considered in thelight of what they will cost, but meanwhile we should be grateful for the viewsof members on possible ways of impro ving the Transactions.

A.G. MortonApril 24 , 1972 Senior Editor

*cf " sober, grey-covered" in article on Agaricus vinosobrunneus p. ! M.N.

COMPILATION OF FORAY LISTS

Serious consideration has been given by the Foray Committee and others tothe question of authenticating records of foray "finds". The following article byDr Watling sums up the arrangements now made, and sincere thanks are due toall the people concerned. Foray lists from local societies are not usually pub-lished in the Bulletin but specially interesting or important finds are noted. TheSociety's library holds a collection of local lists, mostly reprints, and I shall infuture send there complete lists as submitted for the Bulletin. Readers may alsoremember that Ted Blackwell of the South Staffs Naturalist's Society, Fungigroup, offered to send lists of species collected on forays of that Society onreceipt of a stamped, addressed envelope (Bull. 6,1 p.15) as did also othersecretaries. Publications cited in Dr Watling's article are, as stated, those whichour expert referees use. While some members are lucky enough to possess copiesor have access to them others may be consoled by the thought that they may beable to borrow from the Society's library. The catalogue is available on requestfrom Dr Stamps at CMI and the latest supplement is printed below. Then there isthe anno tated Guide to the literature for the Identification of British Fungi,2nd edition, drawn up by Dr Mgt Holden in collaboration with the foraycommittee, see Bulletin 3,1 , 1969 pp 19-54 . Copies are also available on appli-cation to Dr Stamps.

On the other hand mycological bookworms can have fun looking out forpublications out of print and perhaps getting a bargain ; the writer found theReverend John Stevenson's working copy of his own " Brit ish Fungi", publishedin 1886, and bought the two volumes for 15 shillings! (This publication is now