_General Information_: _N. asterophora_ Fries is closely related and also grows on decaying specimens of various species of Russula, particularly _R. nigricans_ (Fries) Fries. It differs, however, in the cap being fawn-coloured and very mealy when touched; it is recognised by the poorly formed often developmentally hindered gills on which chlamydospores are formed. Unlike the smooth asexual spores in _N. parasitica_ this species has chlamydospores with conical, blunt humps--i.e. star-shaped; _asterophora_ in fact means ‘I bear stars’. These fungi have been associated by some mycologists with the common chanterelle (_Cantharellus cibarius_ Fries, see p. 162) in virtue of them possessing reduced fold-like gills. However, the fold-like gills are secondary in nature, correlated with the active production of chlamydospores and the suppression of the formation of basidiospores. The gills are not therefore of a primitive type. The genus _Nyctalis_ is related to fungi such as _Tephrocybe palustris_ (Peck) Donk (see p. 223). There are several rather uncommon ‘agaric-parasites’ of agarics or other higher fungi, e.g. _Volvariella surrecta_ (Knapp) Singer, but their formal description must be left to other more advanced texts. However, the intriguing bolete, _Boletus parasiticus_ Fries, which grows on _Scleroderma_ (earth-balls) in this country has been mentioned and figured previously (p. 35 & Plate 64). It is of interest to note that a close relative of _B. parasiticus_ in Japan lives on another group of Gasteromycetes. _Illustrations_: _N. parasitica_--F 11^{a}; LH 81; WD 25⁷. _N. asterophora_--LH 81; WD 25⁸. General notes on Fungicoles Many beginners are confused on finding specimens which, although appearing agaric-like, are covered in long hairs or irregularly shaped bumps. Indeed many of these abnormalities are true agarics attacked by microscopic fungi, and I know of one textbook on mushrooms and toadstools which includes such an abnormality amongst the discussion on the normal fruit-bodies. Thus _Sporadinia grandis_ Link, which is a primitive fungus, attacks many fungi reducing them to a grey velvety mass of fungal filaments. Specimens of several species of _Mycena_ (p. 88) are common in autumn, covered in whiskers with small nobbles on the top. These whiskers are produced by the parasitic _Spinellus megalocarpus_ (Corda) Karsten, another primitive fungus--a phycomycete.