278 



RESEARCHES ON FUNGI 



discharge the process of autodigestion begins. The cells in the 

 spore-free zone, as well as those in the sterile marginal band shown 



Fio. 118. — Coprinus atramentarius. Stages in the development of a fruit-body as 

 shown by vertical sections. A, section of a young fruit-body in wliich the 

 pileus is just opening out. Tlie spores, as is indicated by the shading, are 

 ripening from below upwards on the gills. Spore-discharge and autodigestion 

 liave not yet begun. The flesh is thin and the gills very broad, c — d, the 

 direction in which the section shown in Fig. 114 was cut ; r, the region from 

 whicli the piece of gill sketched in Fig. 117 was taken. B, section of another 

 and older fruit-body. The spores are still ripening from below upwards on the 

 gills. Spores are being shed and autodigestion is taking place along the gill- 

 edge at a. The broken lines shew the shape and extent of the gills at the 

 moment autodigestion began ; s, lower edge of the gill where spore-discharge 

 and subsequently autodigestion first became active. C, section of a still older 

 fruit-body, the pileus of which has become helmet-shaped through expansion. 

 Tlie gills have now become reduced by autodigestion to about one quarter of 

 their original size ; a, the edge of the gill where spore-liberation and auto- 

 digestion are still in progress. D, section of a fruit-body in the last stage of 

 its development when spore-discharge has ceased. The gills have now become 

 reduced to mere ridges. The central part of the pileus-flesh still crowns the 

 stipe. Natural size. 



