3f)2 FETCH : 



filled small cavities in the soil. These cavities were quite 

 irregular, not more than a centimetre in diameter, and had no 

 evident connection with the termite nest. 



During 1906, when the wTiter was engaged on the study of 

 the fungi of termite nests in Ceylon, the possibility that the 

 Entoloma mycelium consisted of modified " spheres " from the 

 termite comb was constantly borne m mind, and aU the 

 observed occurrences of the Entoloma were carefully examined 

 with that idea in view. It was found, however, that in the 

 majority of cases nothing could be discovered which \\ould 

 suggest an association with termites, and, as attempts to 

 develop the Entoloma from artificially-made clusters of 

 Mcjcrita Duthiei proved failui-es, the idea was ultimately 

 abandoned. Since then the agaric has bcenrepcatedly observed, 

 and though the results of these further observations on the 

 whole tend to confirm the previous conclusions, there have 

 been sev^eral which rather incline one to regard the question 

 as still open. These cases are described below. 



On om; occasion cakes of the mycelium wei'C seen embedded 

 in the soil on a bank by the roadside. The road ran through 

 a tea estate, and the bank was therefore weeded clean. Some 

 cakes were covered with soil, while others were bare, a con- 

 dition which was attributed to the denudation of the surface 

 soil b}- recent heavy rains, as pieces of mycelium were found 

 lying free in the drain. On lifting up the cakes termites were 

 found beneath them in some cases, in well-trodden " runs " 

 or galleries. This however did not occur in all cases, and, 

 knowing how readily termites will discover fungus- infested 

 wood or fungi, the association was regarded as accidental. 



On anotluT occasion a large jak stump, beneath which was a 

 t<'rmite nest, was dug up. The combs of the nest were broken 

 up and mixed with the eaith whith was used to fill uj) the 

 hole. This patch subsequently produced an abundance of 

 Entoloma microcarpum.. 



A similar occurrence was noted in the Botanic Gardens, 

 Pernfk-niyn. A termite nest on one of the lawns, which had not 

 reached tho niouufl stage, was dug up, and the fragments of the 

 combs were shovelled into the hole with the soil. Four months 

 Jftter, in th^ wet Beason, the mU' of the nest was indicated by an 



