THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 87 



especial interest to Nature-lovers because of their beauty and 

 their singular habits. When growing they are fastened firmly 

 in the earth by multitudes of fine thread-like growths known 

 as the mycelium and look like the ordinary puff-balls, com- 

 monly known as "devil's- snuff-boxes." The little ball which 

 holds the spores is covered by a double covering, the outer 

 one thick and leathery, — the inner one fine as silk. In the fall 

 the tough outer covering separates into star-like segments, and 

 the seven or nine or even twenty rays turn back like the petals 

 of a flower, lifting the plant from the ground. The silken 

 poucli which looks most like a puffy little cushion, breaks 

 open at tlie top and the earth-star starts upon its great ad- 

 venture — traveling and sowing its spores. 



It is a fair weather traveler, however, and chooses a 

 bright day to begin its journeys. In fact, it only travels on 

 i)right days. At night, or during rains, or when the air is 

 damp the prudent little earth-star spreads out its rays flat 

 upon the ground ; their underside becomes glutinous, hold- 

 ing firmly to the earth. So the prudent traveler camps and 

 waits for fair weather. How did the wise little plant learn 

 that dampness would hinder the sowing of its spores? 



As soon as the air clears the star-like segments lift from 

 the ground, their gelatinous lining hardens, and the stars give 

 themselves again to the wind, which tumbles them this way 

 and that, scattering and planting their multitude of spores. 



There are many varieties of Earth-Stars or Geasters, 

 and they range in size from the fraction of an inch to two 

 or three inches in diameter. In color they are much like the 

 sand or earth in which they grow and over which they are 

 blown, and this accounts, in a measure, for their being so sel- 

 dom seen ; but those who know them admire them for their 

 singular beauty and marvel at their life-story. 



