noun, used as a suffix
miscellaneous studies; collected investigations
Archaic suffix used in titles of scholarly works, especially from the Edo period, to indicate a collection of studies or essays on various topics.
「江戸叢考」という書名は、江戸に関する様々な研究を集めたことを示す。
The title 'Edo Sōkō' indicates a collection of various studies about Edo.
随筆 is a common modern term for essays or miscellaneous writings, while 叢考 is an archaic suffix for collected studies.
論集 is a neutral modern term for a collection of papers; 叢考 carries an old-fashioned, scholarly nuance.
Compound of 叢 (collection, gathering) and 考 (thought, study). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a classical pattern for naming scholarly compilations.