FUNGI. 275 



taken away, and we, two boys, were left alone. Truly 

 the chips were phosphorescent, with a light strong 

 enough to outline their form, and distinguish the 

 letters upon any book or printed paper on which 

 the fragments were laid. This luminosity was re- 

 tained for a few nights, and then gradually disap- 

 peared. What is now remembered of the wood 

 itself is that it was very soft, crumbling easily be- 

 tween the fingers, thoroughly decayed, and probably 

 deeply penetrated with delicate threads of fungus 

 mycelium. 



This circumstance was recalled to memory by 

 reading, many years after, an account given by the 

 Rev. M. J. Berkeley of a similar experience. It was 

 to the following effect : " A quantity of wood had 

 been purchased in a neighbouring parish, which was 

 dragged up a very steep hill to its destination. 

 Amongst them was a log of larch or spruce, it is not 

 quite certain which, twenty-four feet long, and a foot 

 in diameter. Some young friends happened to pass 

 up the hill at night, and were surprised to find the 

 road scattered with luminous patches, which, when 

 more closely examined, proved to be portions of 

 bark, or little fragments of wood. Following the 

 track they came to a blaze of white light, which was 

 perfectly surprising. On examination it appeared 

 that the whole of the inside of the bark of the log 

 was covered with a white byssoid mycelium of a 

 peculiarly strong smell, but unfortunately in such a 

 state that the perfect form could not be ascertained. 

 This was luminous, but the light was by no means so 

 bright as in those parts of the wood where the spawn 



