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Notes on Some Pufe-Balls of Indiana. 



By Fkank D. Kern. 



Our largest fiuigi lieldii.n- to the tiroiiji popularly kiiDwii as pulT-halls. 

 They receive this name because of the fact that most of them wheu mature 

 and dry puff forth their spores in clouds upon the slightest disturbance. 

 Those who are in the habit of thinking of nmshrooms, toadstoods, or ordi- 

 nary puff-balls as are large fungi may be somewhat surprised to learn that 

 within our own State certain species of puff-balls frecpiently attain a size 

 equal to the largest pumpkins. (See Fig. 1.) Notes concerning some of 



Figure 1. CALVATIA BOVISTA 

 A fresh specimen measuring -10 cm. in diameter and weigliing 9| pounds. 



these larger forms may therefore not be without interest, especially since 

 they form an important part of our fungous food products. 



Tliere have been in the United States four important workers with 

 puff-balls, Peck, Trelease, :Morgan and C. G. Lloyd. Peck's work has been 

 largely devoted to New York forms while Trelease's studies were confined 



