COPRINUS LAGOPUS 327 



from the pileus-periphery to the pileus-disc or, in other words, from 

 what were originally the lowest parts of the gills to what were 

 originally the highest parts of the gills. 



During the discharge of the spores, the pileus of Coprinus lagopus 

 gradually becomes more or less revolute, its edges turning up some- 

 what but never forming a neat roll such as one may often see in 

 C. comatus and C. niveus (Fig. 138, J, p. 316). At the same time, 

 when large, it often becomes torn into a few rays (middle fruit- body 

 of Fig. 133, p. 305). The small fruit-body shown in Fig. 147, A, 

 is far advanced in the process of spore-discharge, and autodigestion 

 has caused the edge of its pileus to become ragged. In C. lagojms, 

 autodigestion takes place strongly, so that the pileus rapidly melts 

 down to a watery stump. Soon after spore-discharge has been 

 completed, the stipe collapses and the whole fruit-body falls to 

 the earth. Here, as usual in Hymenomycetes, the sporophore dies 

 immediately after its period of usefulness as a spore-liberating agent 

 has come to an end. 



