197 



in the second year produces a crop, whose spawn spreads again, the soil behind 

 forbidding its return in that direction. Thus the circle is continually increased 

 and extends indefinitely till some cause intervenes to destroy it. If the spawn 

 did not spread on all sides at first, an arc of a circle only is produced. The 

 manure arising from the dead Fungi of the former years makes the grass peculiarly 

 vigorous around, so as to render the circle visible even when there is no external 

 appearance of the Fungus, and the contrast is often the stronger from that 

 behind being killed by the old spawn. This mode of growth is far more common 

 than is supposed, and may be observed constantly in our woods, where the spawn 

 can spread only in the soil or amongst the leaves and decaying fragments which 

 cover it." p. 41. 



Now it may be quite true that the authors quoted have accounted for some 

 of the observed facts ; yet, as remarked by my acute friend, Mr. Edwin Lees, 

 " Even Mr. Berkeley takes the supposition about the single Fungus forming the 

 circle, for granted, without due examination himself, and says ' It is believed 

 that such is the case.' Now after attentive observation, I myself do not believe 

 it." After some further remarks this author makes the following important 

 statement, which we quote as being perfectly in accord with our own obser- 

 vations : — " All fungi, whether Agarics, Boleti, or Polypores flourish on decaying 

 substances, and rotting matter of some kind they require as a pabulum of 

 support. Whatever then, causes the withdrawal and death of grasses in pastures 

 or displaces the soil, enables the sporules of fungi to settle down, and Agarics 

 or ' Toad-stools ' to appear, and thus we notice them scattered about, without 

 much wonder at their appearance, in the autumnal season, for as Shelly says — 



Agarics, fungi, mildew, and mould, 



All start like mist from the wet ground cold. 



But they do not start without some predisposing cause, or without something 

 or other has caused decay when they arise."t Here then we have the im- 

 portant fact that decaying matter is necessary to the production of our Agarics, 

 and it was doubtless this browned and withered state of the grass by which 

 fungi are preceded that induced some to believe that they were produced by 

 electricity, thus Dr. Darwin, a botanical poet, says — 



So from the clouds the playful lightning wings, 

 Kives the firm oak, or prints the Fairy Kings. 



And Mr. Lees tells us that "Air. J. Dovaston, in Loudon's Magazine of 

 Natural History,' like Darwin, ascribed the exciting cause of the formation of 

 rings to 'strokes of electricity,' which laying bare the ring the first year, by 

 ' the fertilization of combustion ' gave rise the second year to a crop of grass 

 with highly increased vigour and verdure.' This fertilization however, Dovaston 

 remarks, though violent is of very short duration, and thus the circles soon 

 disappear. It may be well to remark that both Aubrey, Darwin, and Dovaston 

 all believe the rings to be formed of their full size at once, and by a sudden 

 t See transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists Field Club (for 1868) for these and 

 subsequent notes on this curious subject by Mr. E. Lees, F.L.S., &c. 



