FUNGI. 227 



becoming open and spongy, the distension of the 

 cavities being due to the secretion of air. The pro- 

 trusion and elevation of the gleba take place with 

 great rapidity, and may be completed in from half 

 an hour to two or three hours, the gleba attaining a 

 height of from five or six to eight or ten inches above 

 the surface of the ground. The utility of this sudden 

 elevation by the substitution of a rapid mechanical 

 process for the slower process of simple growth will 

 be evident in the sequel. 



At the time of emergence, and for a brief interval 

 afterwards, the hymenial surface is firm and solid, 

 greenish-grey in colour, and emits a faint, mawkish, 

 but sweetish and honey-like odour, which is attrac- 

 tive to house-flies. Very soon, however, and before 

 the elongation of the stem is completed, it begins to 

 darken, the odour becomes somewhat fetid, and the 

 consistency changes, so that it gets rather sticky and 

 tenacious. A little later it is dark green, almost 

 black, the odour is very strong and repulsively fetid, 

 and its consistency slimy or almost fluid. These 

 changes in the physical character of the hymenial 

 mass begin at the apex of the gleba, and rapidly 

 extend downwards. They seem to depend largely 

 upon the influence of light, for if one side be pro- 

 tected from its action, the change in consistency and 

 colour is retarded on that side. A specimen kept in 

 a darkened place only very partially liquefied, and 

 did not drop off, but dried up into a hard, black, 

 shining, colourless mass. When examined micro- 

 scopically the fetid fluid is seen to contain myriads 

 of spores, each three micromillimetres long. The 



