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PHOSPHORESCENT FUNGI IN AUSTRALIA. 



By D. Mc Alpine. 



(Communicated by J. H. Maiden, F.L.S.) 



(Plates xxxi.-xxxii.) 



The phenomenon of phosphorescence or luminosity in fungi has 

 long been known, but the cause of it is still in dispute. Plenty 

 of specimens displaying it were met with in the suburbs of 

 Melbourne during May, and by calling attention to the fact 

 someone with the time and opportunity may be induced to 

 investigate the phenomenon. My principal reason, however, for 

 dealing with the subject now is to bring forward some fresh 

 material which, if it does not throw any new light upon the 

 matter, may at least remove some sources of error. 



The following account of the phenomenon is given by Dr. Cooke 

 in his " Introduction to the Study of Fungi": — "Several Agarics 

 have this property, of which the largest number, for any locality, 

 have been met with in Australia. All of them are species found 

 growing upon dead wood and all have white spores. Nearly the 

 same story is related of all of them — to the effect that they emit 

 a light sufficiently powerful to enable the time on a watch to be 

 seen by it. 'The effect produced by it upon the traveller, when 

 on a dark night he comes suddenly upon it glowing in the woods 

 is startling; for to a person unacquainted with this phenomenon 

 the pale, livid and deadly light emanating from it conveys to him 

 an impression of something supernatural, and often causes no little 

 degree of terror in weak minds or in those willing to believe in 

 supernatural agencies ' [Bennett]. The kind of light emitted in 

 all cases is described as shining with a pale, livid and greenish 

 phosphorescent glow." And the late Dr. Bennett in his "Gather- 



