220 ROMANCE OF LOW LIFE AMONGST PLANTS. 



the presumed antheridia, in the form of slender fila- 

 ments which turned their extremities towards the 

 oocysts, and which, more rarely, were applied to 

 them. Then, without undergoing any appreciable 

 modification, the fertile cell, or oocyst, became en- 

 veloped in a lacework of filaments of mycelium, which 

 form the rudiments of the future cap, the whole 

 pileus being the result of fecundation. A similar 

 view was also propounded by Karsten. We are left 

 with the only alternative of regarding all these as 

 mere hypotheses until the supposed facts upon which 

 they are based receive confirmation. 



Stinkhorns and Flies. 



A small but remarkable group of fungi, containing 

 not more than eighty species, from all parts of the 

 world, merits notice on account of two or three 

 characteristics which are probably almost universal. 

 It might, perhaps, be claimed for them that they are 

 unique in the number of singular and bizarre forms ; 

 but form is of less importance than some other pro- 

 minent features. First and foremost of these is the 

 possession of a strong and penetrating fetid odour. 

 It is true that, in some of the species, the descriptions 

 are deficient in mention of odour, but it is fair to 

 assume from analogy that a fetid odour predominates. 

 In a very few isolated instances, amongst thousands 

 of species of fungi, is fetid odour characteristic ; and, 

 even in those rare instances, we doubt if the odour 

 ever approaches in intensity or disgusting fetor those 

 of the present group. This applies, of course, to 



