188 Journal of Mycology [Vol. 13 



selected were Amanitopsis vaginata (Bull.) Roz., and Russiila 

 emetica Fr. — a very few. The only test applied in selecting the 

 fungi had apparently been the pleasing appearance and the ten- 

 derness of the mushroom. Roberts' indentification of Amanita 

 as composing the greater part of those eaten was independently 

 verified by one of the patients, Dr. Dinsmore's sister, who had 

 prepared the fungi for eating. 



From the evidence obtained it is quite clear that the pois- 

 oning was due to the deadly Amanita, and it will be noticed that 

 the symptoms exhibited were in close agreement with those as- 

 cribed to phallin poisoning by chestnut,** although Dr. Rice 

 characterized the intestinal discharges as "serous" and not as- 

 suming the "rice-water" condition, and neither extreme saliva- 

 tion nor decided suppression of the urine was noticed. 



In connection with the supposed action of phaUin in decom- 

 posing the blood corpuscles and in bringing about the escape of 

 the blood serum from the system by way of the alimentary canal 

 it may be mentioned as a partial confirmation that the undertaker 

 experienced considerable trouble in preparing the corpse for bur- 

 ial, — less than half the usual amount of blood could be extracted ; 

 thus indicating a depletion of blood supply before death occurred. 



Carnegie Museum, August 14, 1907. 



{Published hy permission of Dr. IV. J. Holland, Director.) 



** Chestnut, V. K. Circular No. 13, Div. Botany, U. S. Dept. 

 Agriculture. 



A NEW SPECIES OF PROTOMYCES. 



J. J. DAVIS. 



For the purpose of securing a name under which to distri- 

 bute specimens in Fungi Columhiani I submit the following: 



Protomyces gravidus n. sp. — Causing hypertrophic swell- 

 ings on stems, branches, petioles and midribs. Spores, either 

 sub-epidermal or in the vascular bundles but not usually in both, 

 numerous, surface more or less irregularly uneven, generally 

 globose but some times elliptical, ovate or polygonal, 30-55 x 27- 

 40 IX, plurinucleate ; epispore thin (1-3 fi), brown; endospore in 

 maturity thick (3-5/"-), hyaline. On Bidens cernua L. and Bidens 

 connata Muhl., Dousman ; on the same hosts and sparingly on 

 Bidens frondosa L., Racine ; on Bidens cernna L.. Berryville. all 

 in Wisconsin. July to November. 



What I have called the endospore should rather perhaps be 

 considered a peripheral layer of cytoplasm in a resting condition 

 the true endospore being a hyaline membrane i /i, or less thick. 



