The youthful sijecimeus of C. cormicopwldes are quite black, and when water-soaked (for they are great 

 water-drinkers, or liygrojjhanous, as it is called) the fully developed ones are very nearly so; by degrees the 

 ripening of the spores pales the dull grey hues of the hymenium, powdering its indistinct veins with white 

 dust, while the inner side of the horn becomes brighter umber than before. It is a very persistent fungus, 

 and ^rill bear wetting and drying again more than once, but finally, if exposed to the air without pressure, 

 collapsing to the appearance of a bit of charred stick. It is never viscid, nor eaten by insects. There is no 

 other fungus we know of that can be mistaken for it. 



