OF CERTAIN TERMITE NESTS. 251 



spheres to the "kohlrabi" heads of the mycelium of Moller's 

 Pholiota (Rozites) gongylophora lends additional support to the 

 supposition that they are stages of the same fungus. 



The probability is increased by consideration of another 

 Ceylon agaric which has no connection with termite nests. 

 This species arises, not from the usual thread-like mycelium, 

 but from a white mass which on examination is found to 

 consist of innumerable small spheres. It was described by 

 Berkeley and Broome from Ceylon specimens and figures 

 under the name Entoloma microcarpum. Then- description 

 is: 



"A (Entoloma) microcarpus. B. & Br. Caespitosus, edulis, 

 albidus ; Pileo convexo fisso acutissime umbonato ; stipite 

 farcto glabro; lamellis arcuatis pallide carneis liberis (No. 748, 

 cumicone; Gardner, No. 71, cum icone). 



"In large patches, on the flower borders and on grass. 

 Peradeniya, September, 1868. 



"Eaten by the natives. 



"Caespitose : pileus \ inch across, dirty- white, darker towards 

 the prominent umbo, soon split at the margin, even ; stem 

 \\ to 2 inches high, f to 1 thick (i.e. lines, not inches), some- 

 what rooting, nearly equal, smooth, stuffed, at length partially 

 hollow ; gills about a line broad, rounded behind, free or nearly 

 so ; spores obliquely oblong, "0002 to -00025 in. long ; mycelium 

 forming little granular masses." 



I found this species on April 26, 1905, after a rainfall of -87 

 in. on the previous day and 6*33 in. for the month to date. 

 It grew in profusion on the side of a mound of earth, part of 

 which was occupied by a termite nest, at the base of a clump 

 of palms. The heavy rain had washed away the surface of the 

 mound and exposed the white, rounded, or linear masses of 

 spheres. These completely filled small cavities which had no 

 connection with the chambers of the termite nest. Lumps 

 of mycelium which were placed on damp filter paper in a Petrie 

 dish produced agarics by the following day, even if the cluster 

 of spheres was only the size of a pea. It was seen that the 



