24H PETCH : THE FUNGI 



a medium on which only the spheres can grow. This view 

 would necessitate a rapid change in the composition of the 

 comb on removal from the nest, since other fungi then grow on 

 it luxuriantly if allowed. 



The production of the Xylaria is often accompanied by the 

 growth of a parasitic Mucor< especially when the stromata are 

 loose and collapse over the surface of the comb. When the 

 culture is very moist, Thamnidium also occurs in abundance. 

 In general these only appear after several days. Aspergillus 

 flivus appeared on a rather dry comb at the end of five 

 days. 



The most regularly occurring foreign fungus, except the Xy- 

 laria, on exposed termite combs is a hyphomycete which forms 

 red or yellow depressed tufts about 2 mm. diameter. These 

 appear even on combs which are left to dry, but are then only 

 on the damper under surface. They are visible at the end of 

 four days, sometimes earlier. Apparently this is a species of 

 Cephalosporium. When growing on combs from which the 

 termites have not been removed, the insects eat the developing 

 Xylaria, but, as far as I can judge, do not touch the red or 

 yellow tufts. This mould developed under circumstances 

 which show that it is quite capable of growing in the nest. 

 In the earlier stages of investigation it was thought possible 

 that the agaric might be cultivated directly by planting the 

 termite combs. The latter were accordingly placed at the 

 bottom of holes about a foot deep, and covered with earth. 

 On re-opening one of the holes after fourteen days, it was 

 found that the oomb had collapsed into a light brown mass 

 containing a large number of yellow tufts of the mould in 

 question 



Another fungus whose development would not be prohibited 

 ij\ th<- fa<-t that the termite oomb is underground has been 

 grown on six occasions on combs from nests of T. redemanni 

 and T. obacuriceps : it has not been found on combs in situ. Il 

 ocourred in a pot cultivation in which the comb had been 

 placed about t wo inches below the surface: the Xylaria appeared 



