FUNGI. 253 



contended that in a natural state they do not ger- 

 minate directly, but through the intervention of some 

 animal host. The one fact on which this theory is 

 based is that horse-droppings, if collected and placed 

 in favourable conditions, will generate the spawn, 

 and ultimately produce the common mushroom : 

 ergo, the spores of the mushroom will not germinate 

 until they have passed through the intestines of the 

 horse, and that these spores hibernate or germinate 

 and produce a mycelium in horse-droppings during 

 the winter. From this it is inferred that the spores 

 of other species are absorbed by other animals or 

 insects with their food, and thus the perpetuation of 

 the species is secured. One observer, in particular, 

 claims that by feeding some common species of 

 beetle with agaric spores he is able to secure the 

 germination of the spores, and maintain the original 

 species in perpetuity. It would be folly to accept 

 this dictum at once, and before it has been thoroughly 

 tested and confirmed; but it would be equally foolish 

 to deny its possibility, and assert ourselves as judges 

 of possibilities in the obscure phenomena of nature. 

 Hitherto we are wanting in the facts upon which 

 such a theory could be established, we recognize 

 many difficulties, and can only hold our judgment 

 in suspense. We are promised to receive some 

 beetles, by cultivation of which we are guaranteed 

 to be able to raise well-known species of agaric,  

 and when this consummation takes place we shall 

 possibly doubt no longer. 



Dark-brown leathery threads and plates of a 

 fungoid substance, known collectively as RJuzomoi-phs, 



