﻿OF 
  13IUT1SLL 
  FUNGI 
  95 
  

  

  res 
  ]ue 
  of 
  forms 
  are 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  genus 
  Geaster 
  ; 
  but 
  

   although 
  we 
  have 
  a 
  dozen 
  indigenous 
  species, 
  none 
  of 
  

   these 
  are 
  common. 
  In 
  those 
  the 
  peridium 
  or 
  covering 
  

   is 
  double, 
  the 
  outer 
  one, 
  bursting 
  and 
  dividing 
  into 
  sepa- 
  

   rate 
  lobes, 
  falls 
  back 
  in 
  a 
  stellate 
  manner 
  at 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  

   the 
  ball 
  formed 
  by 
  the 
  inner 
  peridium, 
  which 
  latter 
  

   ultimately 
  opens 
  and 
  discharges 
  its 
  spores 
  from 
  the 
  

   summit. 
  Although 
  useless, 
  these 
  are 
  very 
  curious 
  and 
  

   interesting 
  fungi, 
  and 
  are 
  not 
  possessed 
  of 
  the 
  strong 
  

   and 
  unpleasant 
  odour 
  of 
  the 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  last 
  group. 
  

   The 
  genera 
  Bovista 
  and 
  Lycoperdon, 
  which 
  follow, 
  

   may 
  be 
  distinguished 
  from 
  each 
  other 
  by 
  the 
  bark 
  of 
  the 
  

   former 
  at 
  length 
  shelling 
  off, 
  and 
  of 
  the 
  latter 
  remaining 
  

   attached 
  in 
  the 
  form 
  of 
  scales 
  or 
  warts. 
  There 
  are 
  but 
  

   three 
  species 
  of 
  Bovista 
  indigenous 
  to 
  Britain, 
  dis- 
  

   tinguished 
  chiefly 
  by 
  the 
  colour 
  of 
  the 
  peridium. 
  

   B. 
  nigrescens 
  is 
  blackish, 
  and 
  B. 
  plumbed 
  of 
  a 
  lead- 
  

   colour. 
  Although 
  we 
  have 
  never 
  heard 
  of 
  the 
  former 
  

   being 
  eaten, 
  it 
  is 
  stated 
  that 
  the 
  latter 
  furnishes 
  a 
  

   very 
  palatable 
  dish. 
  Bovista 
  plumbea 
  and 
  Lycoperdon 
  

   pyriforme 
  have, 
  however, 
  been 
  so 
  confounded 
  together^ 
  

   sometimes 
  in 
  name 
  and 
  sometimes 
  in 
  the 
  individuals 
  

   themselves, 
  as 
  evidenced 
  by 
  the 
  fact 
  that 
  figures 
  of 
  the 
  

   latter 
  have 
  been 
  given 
  with 
  the 
  name 
  of 
  the 
  former, 
  

   that 
  one 
  seems 
  disposed 
  to 
  doubt 
  whether 
  both 
  have 
  not 
  

   been 
  eaten 
  the 
  one 
  for 
  the 
  other, 
  and 
  whether 
  both 
  

   may 
  not 
  be 
  esculent, 
  though 
  perhaps 
  not 
  excellent. 
  

   Two 
  species 
  of 
  Bovista 
  are 
  very 
  common 
  in 
  pastures, 
  

   and 
  resemble 
  little 
  round 
  balls, 
  which, 
  when 
  ripe, 
  dis- 
  

   charge 
  their 
  dust-like 
  spores 
  from 
  openings 
  in 
  the 
  top 
  of 
  

  

  