PEZIZA AMMOPHILA, D. AND M. 39 



but, owing to the fragile nature of all parts, it was most 

 difficult to trace out their relation to each other. It would 

 have been easy to collect two or three hundred cups almost 

 any day during September or October, until storms caused 

 the sand to drift over the belt in which they grew, so that 

 most of them were buried under several inches of sand. 

 However, a few in sheltered nooks remained visible till nearly 

 the middle of November, after which date I could see no 

 more of them. In 1891 they reappeared at the same season, 

 and under the same conditions, in equal abundance ; and 

 again in September and October 1892, though in less 

 abundance, owing to early drifting of the sand during storms 

 so as to cover their habitat. Such persistence has not, so 

 far as I am aware, been previously recorded in this species. 



The appearance varies so greatly with the age of the 

 specimen that it would be difficult to recognise the species 

 but for the fact that all the intermediate forms can be traced 

 in the various groups. 



The descriptions given by the authors above quoted are 

 based upon only one stage of growth, and are thus very 

 imperfect, and indeed misleading if it is assumed that they 

 represent constant characteristics. 



From personal observation, I find the course of develop- 

 ment to be as follows. The fungus first pushes its way 

 through the sand as a sphere, rather flattened above, and 

 continued below into a thick tapering stalk or "rooting stem." 

 The surface is so covered with sand as to be scarcely visible. 

 On removing as much of the sand as is possible without 

 injuring the tissues the surface is seen to be very pale brown, 

 and appears free from hairs, though under the microscope 

 one finds the surface loosely covered with a downy coating. 

 The apical half of the stalk bears a more evident mycelium. 

 The entire fungus is fleshy and brittle, so as to render it some- 

 what difficult to procure perfect specimens. The stalk is 

 peculiarly apt to break away unless very carefully handled. 

 On their first appearance the cups do not rise above the 

 surface of the sand, which they much resemble in colour. 

 The smallest that I have seen were about half an inch in 

 diameter, or rather less, and the only indication of the open- 

 ing of the cup was a small hole in the middle of the upper 



