194 Fungi, Myxomyceten , Pathologie. 



the Royal Botanic Gardens Peradeniya Ceylon Vol. III. Part. 2. 

 Nov. 1906. p. 185-270. 17 Plates. 1906.) 



A detailed account is given of fungi inhabiting termite nests iin 

 Ceylon and in addition to this an interesting summar}^ of the 

 structure of the nest and combs, together with remarks on the habits 

 of the termites in which numerous original observations of the author 

 are recorded. The species of termites dealt with are Terines rede- 

 manni Wasm., and Tennes obscuriceps Wasm. both ground-dwelling 

 and mound-forming species. 



The termite hill is built of the earth excavated in making the 

 subterranean Chambers, the particles brought from the interior being 

 cemented together by saliva. In the hill shafts are excavated known 

 as chimneys, which, in the opinion of the author, form a perma- 

 nent scaffolding and have little effect on Ventilation. The hill and also 

 that purtion of the nest below ground consist of a large number of 

 separate cavities or Chambers which contain the combs on which the 

 fungi are found. The comb is a brown or greyish structure consisting 

 of a labyrinth of galleries opening into one another by perforations 

 in all directions. It consists entirelj'^ of vegetable substances, the 

 excreta of the termites and is covered with a fine fungus mycelium 

 which bears innumerable minute white "spheres." The termite comb 

 serves the insects as a fungus garden, a nurser}^, and a living room. 



The "spheres" ol the mycelium or the comb, consist of branching 

 hyphae forming groups of spherical or oval cells. The spherical cells 

 do not germinate, but the smaller oval cells germinate readily though 

 the spheres have not been reproduced from them. When the comb 

 becomes old an Agaric grows from it which is remarkable in assu- 

 ming two forms. A Pluteus form appears l^t, and an Armülaria 

 form arises later. The author regard both forms as one and the 

 same plant, a modified Volvaria which he name V. etirhisa (ß. & Br.) 

 Petch, with the following synonomy Lentinus cartilagineiis B. & Br.; 

 Collybia sparsiharbis B. & Br. ; Pluteus Rajap Holterm.; Pholiota 

 Janseana Henn. & Nym.; Flamnmla Janseana Henn. & Nym.; Annil- 

 lavia etirhisa B. & Br. 



Attempts to germinate the spores of the Agaric, or to grow the 

 sphere-producing mycelium from its tissues were unsuccessful, 

 though it seems probable that the spheres are part of the Volvaria 

 mycelium rather than that of the other fungi. After continued rain 

 Xylaria nigripes grows from the deserted nests; Xylaria stromata 

 niay also be produced from fresh combs removed in a bell-jar. 



Other fungi which grow on the combs removed from the nest 

 include Miicor, Thainnidiiini , Cephalosporiiun and Pesisa. As these 

 are not found in the nest, it is probable that the termites weed out 

 foreign fungi from the cultivation of the comb, the "spheres" being 

 supposed to be the food of the termites. 



In conncction with the "spheres" it is interesting to note that 

 the Ceylon Agaric Entolonia rnicrocarptim (which has no connection 

 with termite nests) possesses a mycelium composed of simular but 

 less highly developed bodies. A. D. Cotton (Kew). 



Saito, K., Mikrobiologische Studien über die Soyaberei- 

 tung. (Centralbl. f. Bakt. 2. Abt. XVII. Heft 1/2. p. 20—27. 

 Heft. 3/4. p. 101—109. Heft 5/7. p. 152—161. Mit 5 Tafeln. 1906.) 



Der im vorigen Jahre gegebenen vorläufigen Mitteilung (Botan. 

 Magaz. Tokyo. 1905. XIX. N^. 222. p. 75) folgF hier die ausführliche 



