44 PKOCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 



5. Agrostis vulgaris (fine bent grass). 



6. Aira cocspitosa (tufted hair grass, "bull-snouts). 



7. Aira flexuosa (waved hair grass). 



8. Arena 2iTatensis (narrow-leaved oat gi'ass), 



9. Avena elatior (oat-like soft grass). 



10. Holcus mollis (creeping soft grass). 



11. Holous lanaius (meadow short grass, Yorkshire fog). 



12. Glyceria flvito.ns (floating meadow grass). 



13. Poa annua (annual meadow grass). 



14. Poa 2'>ratensis (smooth-stalked grass). 



15. Poa trivialis (rough-stalked grass). 



16. Briza media (common quaking grass). 



17. Dactylis glomerata [cook.'?, foot gTa.f^ii). 



18. Festuca duriusculo. (hard fescue grass). 



19. Festuca elatior (tall fescue grass). 



20. Festuca loratensis (meadow fescue grass). 



21. Triticum repens (couch grass). 



22. Lolium per enne {rye grass). 



23. Nardus stricta (mat-grass, "wire bent"). 



The following grasses were noted, but no ergot observed on them, although it is pro- 

 bable that most of them are liable to be ergotised at some part of the season or in some 

 years : — 



Alopecurus geniculatvs (floating fox-tail grass). 



Agrostis alba (marsh bent grass). • 



Agrostis canina (brown bent grass). 



Aira caryophyllea (silvery hair grass). 



Aira prcecox (early hair grass). 



Avena flavescens (yellowish oat grass). 



Avena ptuhescens (downy oat grass). 



Triodia decumhens (decumbent heath grass). 



Molin.ia cozridea (purple melic grass, "broad or flying bent.") 



Cynosurus cristatus (crested dog's-tail grass). 



Festuca ovina (sheep's fescue grass). 



Festuca ovina var. rivijiara (viviparous grass). 



Bromus mollis (soft brome grass). 



The Juncacea; and Cyperacece, which form a large portion of the pasturage in some 

 parts of the district, were all, so far as I saw, free from ergot ; but some of the 

 Cyperacece — e.g., Carex p)anicea, C. glauca, and some others — were very subject to 

 smut (Ustilago urceolarum). I am not aware whether the eating of the plants afi"ected 

 with this fungus has any bad effect, but it is possible that it may, as another species 

 of the genus {U. grandis), which affects reeds {Arumlo Phragmites), "has che remark- 

 able proj)erty of greatly affecting the health of the labourers employed in cutting and 

 .sorting them, producing not only a sense of oppression, but swelling of the head, the 

 formation of vesicles, besides other symptoms, such as are joroduced by cantharides." 



It may here be necessary to explain what ergot is, its appearance and life history. 

 Ergot is the first, or rather second stage [sclerotium) of Claviceps piurpurea., Tul. It is 

 easily noticed when it projects, as it generally does when fully grown, beyond the jyalat 

 (chaff-scales) of the plant on which it is growing. The "spurs" are horn-shaped, 

 sometimes straight, but usually curved ; irregularly cylindrical and grooved. The 

 colour externally is generally purple-black ; internally it is white, sometimes purplish. 

 The spurs vary greatly in size, according to the species of the host plant (the largest 

 seeded grasses producing large ergot and vice versa), and also on the same plant. I 

 gathered them in Upper Teviotdale, varying from less than ^ of an inch to over 1 inch 

 in length from the same species. The ergot, when full grown, drops out of the chaff 

 scales or falls along with the stems of the grasses, amongst which it lies dormant 

 throughout the winter and spring. During the summer the perfect fungus {Claviceps 

 jpurpxirea) is produced. The fungi, which grows out from all sides of the sclerotium, 

 are indefinite in number, varying from one to upwards of twenty ; and the least bit of 

 an ergot, according to Mr A. S. Wilson, Avill produce a fungus. It (the fungus) has a 

 slender flexuous stem (stipe), varjing in length, with a small globular head (hunienium). 

 When these are ripe the conceptacles containing the spores shoot them out into the air, 

 where they float about till some of them find a suitable habitat on the germen of anj- 

 grass florets that are open at the time. Those ergotised soon become covered with 

 mycelium, from which the ergot is developed, agam to fall and lie till the following 

 summer, when the perfect fungus is produced, once more ready to disseminate its 

 spores. Such is the annual course run by this fungus. Ergot, like many other fungi, 

 besides being reproduced from the spores of the perfect fungus, is propagated by the 

 spermatia or conidia, wdiicli form its outer covermg while in the young and g^o^^'ing 



