288 



The North American Cup-Fungi 



process is too rapid to hv followed with the eye does not alter 

 the facts. 



This process might be compared to the potato-gun which 

 consists of a quill which is large at the base and narrow at the 

 tip. When a plug of raw potato is put in at the large end and 



Fig. 17. a-h, Cookeina sulcipes, i, C. insititia. a, living ascus; b, the 

 same after spore discharge; c, bases of asci; d, apices of asci closed; e, idem 

 opened, front view; f, idem, side view; g, spore sticking in ascostome; h, apices 

 of asci, opened; i, idem of C. insititia, opened and closed. From K. B. Boedijn. 



by means of a ram rod crowded into the small end, it fits ver>- 

 tightly. When another potato plug is crowded up behind it the 

 first one sticks in the small end of the quill. As the second plug 

 is pushed up with a ram rod the air is compressed and when the 

 first plug is finalK- released it is fired out with a loud bang and 

 great force. 



