Cloudy and wet.
The identification of a fungus can sometimes only be confirmed by microscopic analysis. This analysis requires a number of skills that I am trying to develop. Gill structure is extremely important in some cases and this is the area that requires the most complex skills. First, we have to use a low-power microscope (x40) to prepare a precisely-specified slice of the gill, and then mount the specimen on a slide in water (or dye). This slide is then examined under high magnification (x400 +). Then, of course, we need to be able to identify the various structures that exist within the gill.
In order to start from a known position, I'm using species that can be easily identified without microscopic analysis and then comparing my findings with the documented specifications. The above picture (at x 400) shows the hyphae of the gills of Cystoderma amianthinum.