CHAPTER XXIX. 



FUNGI. 



" Various, as beauteous, nature, is thy face ; 



All that grows, lias grace. 



All are appropriate. Bog, and marsh, and fen 

 Are only poor to undiscerning men. 

 Here may the nice and curious eye explore, 

 How nature's hand adorns the rushy moor ; 

 Beauties are these that from the view retire, 

 But will repay th' attention they require." 



Crabbe. 



jfHE first large division of the fungus tribe was 

 characterised by naked seeds or spores. In 

 the Hyineniuni class these were contained on 

 an exposed surface, in the Envelope class they were 

 enclosed in an envelope or case, in the Dust class they 

 formed the main part of the plant, and in the Thread 

 class they were merely attached to the thread-like stem 

 or branches ; but greatly as the different classes varied, 

 they were unanimous in the simplicity of their spores. 

 We n<>w come to the second great division of fungi, 

 where the spores are contained in bags or asci, hence 

 the first class in the division is called Ascomycetes 

 or Bagr fungi 



