﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  9 
  

  

  forming 
  a 
  dense 
  mass 
  on 
  the 
  stumps 
  of 
  trees, 
  exhibits 
  

   phosphorescence 
  in 
  the 
  early 
  stages 
  of 
  its 
  decay. 
  

  

  The 
  forms 
  which 
  these 
  singular 
  plants 
  assume 
  are 
  

   extremely 
  diversified 
  : 
  in 
  some 
  instances 
  Ave 
  have 
  a 
  

   distinct 
  stem 
  supporting 
  a 
  cap, 
  and 
  looking 
  somewhat 
  

   like 
  a 
  parasol 
  ; 
  in 
  others 
  the 
  stem 
  is 
  entirely 
  absent, 
  

   and 
  the 
  cap 
  is 
  attached 
  either 
  by 
  its 
  margin, 
  and 
  is 
  

   said 
  to 
  be 
  dimidiate, 
  or 
  by 
  its 
  back, 
  or 
  that 
  which 
  is 
  

   more 
  commonly 
  its 
  upper 
  surface, 
  when 
  it 
  is 
  called 
  

   resupinate. 
  Sometimes 
  the 
  form 
  and 
  colour 
  so 
  nearly 
  

   resemble 
  that 
  of 
  a 
  tongue, 
  that, 
  as 
  Dr. 
  Badham 
  says, 
  

   " 
  in 
  the 
  days 
  of 
  enchanted 
  trees 
  you 
  would 
  not 
  have 
  

   cut 
  it 
  off 
  to 
  pickle 
  or 
  eat 
  on 
  any 
  account, 
  lest 
  the 
  

   knight 
  to 
  whom 
  it 
  belonged 
  should 
  afterwards 
  come 
  to 
  

   claim 
  it 
  of 
  you." 
  In 
  some 
  species 
  the 
  form 
  is 
  that 
  of 
  

   a 
  cup 
  ; 
  in 
  others 
  of 
  a 
  goblet, 
  a 
  saucer, 
  an 
  ear, 
  a 
  birds- 
  

   nest, 
  a 
  horn, 
  a 
  bunch 
  of 
  coral, 
  a 
  ball, 
  a 
  button, 
  a 
  

   rosette, 
  a 
  lump 
  of 
  jelly, 
  or 
  a 
  piece 
  of 
  velvet. 
  Indeed, 
  

   so 
  protean 
  are 
  they 
  in 
  shape, 
  that 
  description 
  fails 
  in 
  

   giving 
  an 
  adequate 
  idea 
  of 
  their 
  variety. 
  

  

  In 
  colour 
  they 
  are 
  almost 
  as 
  variable 
  as 
  in 
  shape 
  : 
  

   in 
  one 
  or 
  two 
  instances 
  decidedly 
  green 
  ; 
  but 
  this 
  colour 
  

   must 
  be 
  considered 
  as 
  rare 
  amongst 
  them. 
  We 
  have 
  

   all 
  shades 
  of 
  red, 
  from 
  light 
  pink 
  to 
  deepest 
  crimson 
  ; 
  

   all 
  tints 
  of 
  yellow, 
  from 
  sulphureous 
  to 
  orange 
  ; 
  all 
  

   kinds 
  of 
  browns, 
  from 
  palest 
  ochre 
  to 
  deepest 
  umber 
  ; 
  

   and 
  every 
  gradation 
  between 
  pale 
  grey 
  and 
  sooty 
  black. 
  

   Blue 
  and 
  violet 
  tints 
  do 
  not 
  abound 
  ; 
  but 
  even 
  these, 
  

   as 
  well 
  as 
  a 
  beautiful 
  amethyst, 
  occasionally 
  occur. 
  

   White 
  or 
  creamy 
  tints 
  are 
  very 
  common. 
  There 
  is 
  a 
  

  

  