145 



As jet we do not- Know the perfect form of this fundus, Ijiit if 

 we take into consideration the o-eneral appearance of the plant, — its 

 consistency, the presence of I)nckles in the tilaments, — ^the supposi- 

 tion that it is derived from a Polypore near to Coriolus has nothing 

 improbahle in it. 



This genus Ech inodia coukl he characterised hy saying that it 

 is a compound Stilhum in which the conidia are produced sym^io- 

 dially. 



M. X. PaTOUILLARD IX THE BuLLETIX DE LA SoCIETE 



Mycologique DE Fbaxce, XXXIA', 2nd Fasicle. 



LIGHTNING AND HEVEA. 



Dr. A. A. L. liutgers in the Arcliicf voor de Fiid)hercultuur in 

 Ncderland.^rli-Indie. IJT.. 1919. Xo. -1, p. 163, ascribes certain cases 

 of bleeding of rnl)ber trees to lightning. His article contains 

 beautiful clear figures illustrating the cases. 



Similar damage to a group of trees was observed a few years 

 «igo by Mr. F. (i. ^lillar on the Tangga Batu Estate, Malacca, and 

 mycologically examined for me by Professor C. F. Baker, and Mr. 

 R. M. Pichards who found no fungal cause. The damage liad been 

 done two years before the bleeding began to be noticed ; and' the 

 hleeding was found to result from the stretching and slight rup- 

 turing of the bark by reason of the gro^vth of the wood being ex- 

 cessive over the callus and included rubher of small old wounds. 

 Dr. Rutgers remarks that in certain spots trees may suffer from 

 more than one storm: and if the explanation is correct, as it well 

 ,xnay be, one of the damaged trees on the Tangga Batu Estate had 

 been peppered liy liglitning discharge twice. 



I. H. Bl liKlLL. 



THE COMPOSITION OF A PIECE OF WELL- 

 DRAINED SINGAPORE SECONDARY 

 JUNGLE THIRTY YEARS OLD. 



This little study of secondary jungle is a mite oidy towards 

 the comi)rehension of the great com])lex ''rain forest"' of Malaya. 

 It is an attemi)t to make use of the clearing of a small area, with a 

 more or less known history, where nature had Ijeen for thirty years 

 at her work of reconstruction. Many hundreds of such studies are 

 needed, and the iuterest in tliem will grow as the problems to he 

 solved become more and more apparent upon (.-omparison of results. 

 At present sucli comparison is impossible : for this study is Init a 

 beginning. 



The study was uudertaken in Decemljer last in the following 

 way. The area to l)e cleared was in all about two acres, but to 

 sort and determine all the ])lants over it was impossilile: this being 



