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immense number of cells which go to make up one of the fugitive little plants 
belonging to Coprinus radiatus. By reference to the figure it will be seen that the 
stratum of flesh which forms the pileus is only six or seven cells in thickness, and 
the external surface is covered with a few hairs of different sizes (the remnants of 
the universal veil or wrapper), some of the smaller hairs being tipped with a gland. 
Another good vertical segmental section across the cap and gills will show the 
appearance of the plicato-radiate outer surface of the pileus to be caused by a 
series of cracks which are brought about by the necessary sudden expansion of the 
cap, which act of expansion tears (in these positions) the component cells of the 
_ pileus apart, Plate I, 2, and Plate II, x. A transverse section through the fungus 
ie ‘when in an infant state shows the commencement of these fissures, as at Plate leas 
and Plate II, u. The gills have no trace of a trama—the so-called trama being 
the cells which form the substance between the hymenium in the gills; if present 
this substance would be at MM, Plate IT, but one of the characters of the genus 
Coprinus is that the gills have no distinct intermediate substance in the gills. In 
the plant under examination*the lamellz or gills are free from, and form a collar 
round the stem (Plate IT, n), and are only about seven cells in thickness. 
Good sections down and across this stem when young will show it (gossamer 
like as it is) to be piped or hollow from top to bottom (Plate II, 0), and the hairs 
seen at the base (P P) are the torn remains of the veil or wrapper which once held 
the edge of the pileus (Q) down to the base of the stem. In this figure several 
spores may be seen at the base, carried up amongst the cells of the stem. On 
looking at an entire plant of C. radiatus in this way under a low power of the 
microscope it appears to be formed of a few thousands of cells only, but if these 
cells are now measured and counted, which is by no means a difficult matter, it 
will be found that instead of thousands it really requires millions of individual 
cells to build up one of these minute plants which a breath destroys. The small- 
ness and lightness of one fungus is such that it requires 150 specimens to weigh a 
grain, or 72,000 to weigh an ounce troy. In the type specimen of C radiatus now 
figured there were 22,560,000 cells in its structure irrespective of the spores, which 
numbered about 3,200,000 more. If all these cells and spores are only equivalent 
tothe hundred-and-fiftieth part of a grain, it follows that in an ounce of fungus 
cells there must be no less than one billion six hundred and twenty four thousand 
Millions of these bodies, exclusive of the spores. Ina large Mushroom the cells 
would number hundreds of billions. Still more wonderful is the fact that each 
individual cell is furnished with a spark of life, contains water, protoplasm, ae 
other material, and is capable of growth and assimilation. 
The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate something of the life history of 
the minute but truly wonderful fungus now before us ; and with this object in view 
it is not only necessary to use the higher powers of the microscope, but to 
patiently watch the fungus and its changes at every hour (almost minute) of the 
night and day and for several days in succession. 
In the vertical section of one of the minute gills, as shown in Plate III, 
magnified 150 diameters, the whole fruiting and reproductive surface of the fungus 
