FUNGI. 211 



Exploring Expedition ; and Rumpliius recorded 

 Agaricus igneus from Amboyna. In Borneo Dr. 

 Collingwood found a luminous species, which was 

 probably Agaricus Gardneri, of w^hich he gives the 

 following particulars : " The night being dark, the 

 fungi could be distinctly seen, though not at a great 

 distance, shining with a soft pale greenish light. 

 Here and there spots of much more intense light 

 were visible, and these proved to be very young and 

 minute specimens. The older specimens may more 

 properly be described as possessing a greenish 

 luminous glow, like the glow of the electric dis- 

 charge, which, however, was quite sufficient to define 

 its shape, and, when closely examined, the chief de- 

 tails of its form and appearance. The luminosity did 

 not impart itself to the hand, and did not appear to 

 be affected by the separation from the root on which 

 it grew, at least not for some hours. I think it 

 probable that the mycelium of this fungus is also 

 luminous, for, upon turning up the ground in search 

 of small luminous worms, minute spots of light were 

 observed, which could not be referred to any par- 

 ticular object or body when brought to the light and 

 examined, and were possibly due to some minute 

 portions of the mycelium. Mr. Hugh Low has assured 

 me that he saw the jungle all in a blaze of light, by 

 which he could see to read, some years ago, as he 

 was riding across the island by the jungle road, and 

 that this luminosity was produced by an agaric." ^ 



There is only one European species which is dis- 

 tinctly luminous, and that is the agaric of the olive, 

 ' Collingwood, \n Journal of Li/r/man Society, vol. x. p. 469. 



