66 EEPEODUCTION IN COPRINUS RADIATUS. 



and spores are only equivalent to the hundred-and-fiftietli part of a 

 grain, it follows that in an ounce of fungus cells there must be no 

 less than one billion six hundred and twenty-four thousand millions 

 of these bodies, exclusive of the spores. In a large Mushroom the 

 cells would number hundreds of billions. Still more wonderful is 

 the fact that each individual cell is furnished with a spark of life, 

 contains water, protoplasm, and other material, and is capable of 

 growth and assimilation. 



The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate something of the 

 life history of the minute but truly wonderful fungus now before 

 \is ; and with this object in view it is not only necessary to use the 

 higher powers of the microscope, but to patiently watch the fungus 

 and its changes at every hour (almost minute) of the night and 

 day and for several days in succession. 



In the vertical section of one of the minute gills, as shown in 

 PI. 56, magnified 150 diameters, the whole fruiting and repro- 

 ductive surface of the fungus is seen at a glance. The nature of 

 the furrows in the pileus (r) is now perfectly clear, every cell 

 being seen in position, and the remnants of the universal veil or 

 wrapper are seen on the surface of pileus at s. Studded amongst 

 the cells of the upper stratum of cap may be seen vaiious brilliant 

 crystals which belong to the ammonio-phosphate of magnesia, and 

 which crystals are taken up by the fungus from the manure on 

 which it grows. ]\lany dung-borne Agarics are covered with so- 

 called micaceous particles, which, in many instances, doubtlessly 

 arise from the manure which supports the fungus.. It is a matter 

 of considerable difficulty to get a section like this, for if attempted 

 clumsily no result will follow beyond a slight discoloration of the 

 edge of the lancet ; it is necessary to take the slice at the exact 

 moment of maturity, and even then it requires the perfection of 

 dexterity to cut the fungus properly, as the plant is sticky in all 

 its parts. A fragment of the fruiting surface of a gill is shown 

 at T. 



To understand the vital phenomena of C.iadiatus it is necessary 

 to comprehend the meaning of the bodies seen in Pis. 56 and 

 57. The whole fungus is built up of cells, which run parallel 

 with each other (and at maturity are very long) in the stem (PI. 

 55), and which spread laterally, and then become more or less 

 spherical in the pileus. When these cells reach the gills or fruit- 

 bearing surface (hymenium, u u), a certain difi'erentiation takes 

 place in their functions. The majority of the cells remain simple, 

 but certain other cells which are spread over tlie gills with the 

 greatest regularity assimie a difl'erent nature, and produce spores. 

 These cells are called basidia (meaning small pedestals, v v, PI. 

 56 and 57), and the spores, or analogues of ovules or seeds, 

 basidio-spores, because they are carried on these little pedestals. 

 Ihe minute threads between the spores and their pedestals are 

 termed spicules or sterigmata (literally props). Certain other 



