fungi. 263 



The Daedalia group have toothed pores. The Oak and 

 One-coloured species are both common (D. quercina and 

 unicolor), they are heavy shapeless fungi, growing shelf- 

 like on trees and stumps and would be taken for Poly- 

 pores, but for the curious form of their large pores. The 

 name signifies a labyrinth, owing to the twisting habit of 

 the pores. 



The Merulius group is rendered notorious in fungus 

 history for its evil member the Dry-rot (M. lachrymans.) 

 The spawn of this fungus makes its way into the wood- 

 work of houses, especially where the air is excluded, and 

 soon reduces it to rottenness. We passed a church 

 which was all gutted, fresh wood work in course of 

 preparation, and in answer to our inquiries as to the 

 cause of these restorations, we learned " that the Drv-rot 

 had got into the wood, and it was all rotten." The same 

 process was going on in the house of the Curator of the 

 Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, and from the same cause. 

 The substance of this fungus when fully developed is 

 fleshy and watery, pale in colour, and the under surface 

 velvety. Drops like tears often ooze from it, hence its 

 specific name; it is only dry in its undeveloped stages. 



In this group the hymenium forms netted folds, blunt, 

 shallow, and vein-like. The Corky Merulius, (M. corium, 

 Plate XVII 1 ",, fig. 6), grows commonly on stumps, is 

 about the thickness of parchment, and but a shade darker 

 in colour. In its early stage it is spread over the surface 

 of the wood, but it presently becomes loose at the edge, 

 and turns over in frills. 



The last group in the Pore order is that of Fistulina. 

 Here the pores are not in veins, or netted folds, but in 



