I think this is rather common, although from the book I am uncertain. I don't know what kind of wood it's on. Thank you!
Seems Auricularia auricula-judae (also known as Judas's ear fungus) to me, or a closely related species. from wikipedia: "This jelly fungus is conspicuously ear shaped, ranging from purple to dark brown or black in colour with a rubbery texture, and most often found on dead elder trees but also on elms." It grew too on some hardwood pieces I bought as fireplace fuel. Hope this helps
Auricularia auricula-judae (Fries) Quélet, Forh. Vidensk.-Selsk. Kristiania: 207 (1886) = Auricularia auricula (Hook. f.) Underw., Mem. Torrey bot. Club 12: 15 (1902) Auricularia auricula-judae var. lactea Quél., Enchir. fung. (Paris): 207 (1886) Auricularia auricularis (Gray) G.W. Martin, Am. Midl. Nat. 30: 81 (1943) Exidia auricula-judae (Alb. & Schwein.) Fr., Syst. mycol. (Lundae) 2(1): 221 (1822) Gyraria auricularis Gray, Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. (London) 1: 594 (1821) Hirneola auricula (L.) P. Karst., Deutschlands Flora, Pilze: 93 (1880) Hirneola auricula-judae (L.) Berk., Outl. Brit. Fung. (London): 289 (1860) Hirneola auricula-judae var. lactea (Quél.) D.A. Reid, Trans. Br. mycol. Soc. 55(3): 440 (1970) Hirneola auricularis (Gray) Donk, Bulletin du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg, 3 Série 18: 89 (1949) Merulius auricula (L.) Roth Peziza auricula-judae (Bull.) Bolton, Hist. fung. Halifax: tab. 107 (1786) Tremella auricula L., 2: 1157 (1753) Tremella auricula-judae Bull., Herbier de la France 9: tab. 427, fig. 2 (1789)