376 ON THE STUDY OF MICRO-FUNGI. 



However, while this spot existed, I had free scope to prowl 

 about in quest of specimens, being only occasionally startled by 

 the sudden leap of some surprised frog or wondering toad. One 

 afternoon, when gathering in this place specimens of Uredo con- 

 fliietis^ which were growing freely on the Dog's Mercury ( Mer- 

 curialis pereimis), I noticed among the Mercury plants a single 

 specimen of the Herb Paris {Paris quadrifolia)^ and that on one 

 of the leaves there was a small, lightish-coloured spot which 

 seemed to indicate the presence of a fungus. On closer examina- 

 tion this proved to be the case, for on turning over the leaf an 

 JEcidium was seen to have established itself. Further search 

 revealed the pleasing fact that other specimens of the Herb Paris 

 which were growing near at hand were also infested with this 

 parasite. The fungus was growing both on the leaves and on the 

 stems of the plants, and although not present in any great profu- 

 sion was nevertheless sufficiently plentiful for all purposes. It was 

 further noticed that the area in which infected plants could be 

 found was very circumscribed ; indeed, that they were only to be 

 obtained within a circle of some six yards or so in circumference. 

 Beyond this circle a stray specimen or two might be discovered, 

 but the limit of their habitation was pretty well defined. 



I was unable to find any reference to a fungus upon the Herb 

 Paris in the list of those which had been recorded as occurring in 

 Britain ; but it appeared probable that it might be the same species 

 as the one which grows upon the Lily of the Valley, seeing that 

 that plant is nearly related to the Herb Paris. However, on for- 

 warding some specimens of it to Dr. Plowright, King's Lynn, for his 

 opinion, he stated that in all probability it was quite distinct from 

 that species ; but in order to determine the species exactly its life- 

 history would require to be worked out. The aecidium was found 

 in the month of May, and by the end of June it had entirely 

 disappeared. Now, if this fungus went through the same cycle as 

 the Puccinia lapsajice^ the aecidiospores should have been followed 

 by the uredospores and then by the teleutospores, but no further 

 spores appeared on the leaves of the Herb Paris. It was therefore 

 evident that a clue must be looked for elsewhere. 



Before going further, we should explain that there are a goodly 

 number of these fungi which spend part of their lives upon one 



