150 
cold, the fungus goes on perfecting itself day after day without ceasing. During 
hot, very wet, or frosty weather the spawn lies buried, and it rests in the warm, 
moist dung for short periods of time only. 
Coprinus radiatys, Fr., is one of the dung-borne Agarics with a cap which 
measures from an thes to one quarter of an inch in diameter, and this filmy 
pileus is supported on a stem, which on an average measures from a quarter to 
three-eighths of an inch or more in height. (Plates I, and II.) The whole cap 
is a mere transparent film, and the fragile stem is like an atom of gossamer 
thread. A. breath will totally break down and collapse every part of the plant, 
whilst a heavy dew or slight shower of rain will destroy a whole colony. These 
minute Agarics can only be gathered with the aid of small forceps, for if they are 
taken in the fingers they at once collapse, become liquid and vanish. - So little 
moisture does a single specimen contain that it is lost in the moment or two 
consumed in taking it for examination from the garden to the house. The 
young plants may generally be seen dotted over the dung, like in size to so many 
pins’ heads (Plate I., B), and from this, the infant state, to maturity, the growth 
of the fungus is very rapid. At seven or eight in the evening nothing but 
immature plants can be seen (Plate I. c, p, enlarged 20 diameters) ; about 
eleven or twelve a rapid growth commences, and by two or three o’clock in the 
morning perfect maturity is reached. If the morning is moist the plants will 
remain in perfection till nine or ten o’clock, but if it is dry they will not last 
after five or six. On shady roadsides or in dark places the time required for 
growth may probably be a little more or less, but the present observations apply 
to the plants as found growing on dung in a light and open place. To get a good 
view of C. radiatus it is necessary to magnify it at least from 50 to 100 
diameters ; the nature of the stem and gills can then be made out, and all the 
individual component cells be clearly seen. 
Mature plants are figured at x, Fr (Plate I.,) eplarged 10 and 20 diameters, 
the first showing the nature of the outer surface of pileus, with its furrows, and the 
other the lower or fruiting surface, with the nature of the gills, and the collar 
formed by them near the insertion of the stem. At G is shown the relative 
number of the basidia or privileged cells, which carry the naked spores, and at H 
the relative number and position of other privileged cells, termed cystidia. To 
these latter bodies I shall presently refer more fully, and they are merely 
adverted to here that some idea may be formed of their great number. At I 
is shown a transverse section through the cap of the fungus, a short time 
before expansion (when the umbrella-like top is down), to show that the hair- 
like stem is hollow, and that the plant in infancy is enveloped in a complete veil 
or bag, the presence of which is shown by the ring of cells and hairs which forms 
the circumference of the diagram. 
For a proper comprehension, however, of this minute fungus much more 
than a superficial examination is necessary, and the first thing to be done in the 
way of dissection is to secure a good longitudinal section of the fungus from top to 
bottom, as shown in Plate II (s)—this enlarged 35 diameters, at once shows the 
