THERE are many things to complain about in the world just now and the writers to your Letters Pages delineate many of them so clearly. Some of the news we receive now is quite tragic and upsetting; as shown in the prize-winning photograph of the mutilated rhino (“Mutilated rhino wins wildlife award”, The Herald, October 18).

On Tuesday I found a most perfect specimen of a fly agaric fungus, as I walked in my favourite wood. It was so beautiful that I went back today (October 18) with a little cheap camera, to photograph it for my Serendipity Book. It was no longer there, just the hacked-off stump remained. I had knelt in the wet grass to take the photo so stayed there for a while feeling very real grief. Why had someone cut it down? Fly agarics are classified as poisonous, although not fatally so, so it could not be eaten.

Compared with the rhino this was just a wee tragedy but I feel very sad just the same. I will keep looking for another fly agaric but now will carry a camera with me at all times.

Thelma Edwards,

Old Comrades Hall,

Hume, Kelso.