• 46 Cinciiniati Society of Natural History. 



Growing on the ground. Rocky Mountains, Jones. Perid- 

 ium 1^-2 inches in diameter. Tliis differs from the preceding 

 species in being soft, flaccid, and soon collapsing ; it, no doubt, 

 is not so persistent. Microscopically it is readily distin- 

 guished by its much larger threads. I have no knowledge of 

 B. obovata, Massee, described in the Journal of Botany, \'ol. 

 XX\'I., p. 134, and said to come from New Mexico. 



b. Pcridium 'a'ii/i a regular apical mouth, the spores 

 a'ith long pedicels. 



3. B. NiGKESCENS, Pers. Peridium .subglobose, with a 

 fibrous mycelium. Cortex a thin, smooth, white continuous 

 layer, at maturity breaking up into scales, which soon disap- 

 pear; inner peridium thin, flaccid, becoming dark-brown, 

 smooth and shining, dehiscent at the apex by a lacerate 

 mouth. Mass of spores and capillitium soft, lax, at first 

 ochraceous or olivaceous, at length purplish-brown ; the 

 threads flexuous, about i mm. in extent, three to five times 

 branched, the main stem 12-18 mic. thick, the ultimate 

 branches tapering; spores globose or oval, even, 5-6 mic. in 

 diameter, with long hyaline pedicels. 



Growing in old pastures, in fields and woods Canada, 

 Saccardo ; Pennsylvania, ^^//ar/;///: ; North Carolina, Curtis: 

 Ohio, Lea; California, Harkness. Peridium 1-2 inches in 

 diameter. I have never .succeeded in obtaining an American 

 specimen of this species ; my description is drawn up from 

 European specimens. 



4. B. PLUMBEA, Pers. Peridium depressed-globose, with 

 a fibrous mNxelium. Cortex a thin, smooth, white continuous 

 coat, loo.sening at maturity and shelling off", except sometimes 

 a small portion about the base: inner peridium thin, tough, 

 smooth, lead-colored, dehiscent at the apex by a round or 

 oblong aperture. Mass of spores and capillitium soft, lax, 

 ochraceous or olivaceous, then purplish-brown , the threads 

 .8-1.0 mm. in extent, three to five times branched, the main 

 stem 12-16 mic. thick, the ultimate branches long, straight 

 and tapering to a fine point; spores oval, even, 6-7 by 5-6 

 mic, with long hyaline pedicels. 



(/rowing on the ground in meadows and pastures. New 

 England, Frost; New York, Peck; Pennsylvania, Sclnceinitz : 

 Carolina, Curtis; Ohio, .Morgan; Indiana, (ientry ; Wiscon- 



