154 



RESEARCHES ON FUNGI 



-tire pructically reduced to nothing in the chamber, and the spores 

 had to travel at most upwards or downwards only a distance of 

 O'l mm. By focussing and watching an individual spore in the 

 fluid, one could quickly decide whether it was falling or rising. 



The results of the tests for Psalliota cainpestris, Coprinus 

 plicatilis, and Amanitopsis vaginata are given in the following 

 table, where R indicates that the spores rose in the fluid, S that 

 they sank, and RS that about equal numbers rose and sank 

 respectively : — 



When fresh spores are placed in water they are turgid and 

 fully expanded, and present the same appearance as they have 

 when just about to be liberated from their sterigmata. However, 

 in solutions of calcium chloride the spores decrease in size. In 

 many species they become obviously deformed. The spores of 

 Psalliota cain2)estris in a calcium chloride solution of sp. gr. 1-32 

 are indented on one side, and the spores of Coprinus plicatilis in 

 a solution of sp. gr. 1-44 have the shortest of their three axes 

 (c/. Fig, 55, A, p. IGi') reduced to nearly one-half. The decrease 



