62 MUSHROOMS. 



the smoke pouring from the chimney. Indeed, 

 the outpouring of myriads of spores in its ripe 

 stage does suggest smoke from a chimney. 

 The puff-ball, when young, is of a firm tex- 

 ture, nearly round, grayish, or brownish outside, 

 but of a pure white within. There are several 

 genera, but we have selected two — 1, Lyco- 

 perdon ; and 2, Earth Star, or Geaster. 



LYC0PERD0N = the puff-ball. 



The puff-balls vary greatly in size, the small- 

 est measure \ inch up to the largest, about 15 

 inches. Professor Peck describes them thus : 

 " Specimens of medium size are 8 to 12 inches 

 in diameter. The largest in the State Museum 

 is about 15 inches in the dry state. When fresh 

 it was probably 20 inches or more. The color 

 is whitish, afterward yellowish or brownish. 

 The largest size was called the Giant Puff-ball 

 (Calvatia bovista)." 



GEASTER = the earth star. 



These vary greatly in size. The small ones 

 grow on pine needles on the ground or among 

 leaves. Some are mounted on pedicels, some 

 are sessile or seated directly on the earth, but 



