50 
globular cells with green contents developed in a central layer of the 
thallus, and contained chlorophyl; and the presence of gonidia 
may be taken as proof that the plant is lichen, not fungus. 
It might be thought that the lichens were more allied to 
seaweeds than to fungi, but this is not so, because a fungus 
has fruit similar to the lichen, but dissimilar to the seaweed, 
and it is by the character of the fruit that the alliance is established. 
It should also be understood that no proper conclusion can be 
come to as to the nature of these plants, unless the fruit is abso- 
lutely produced. Great confusion with regard to fungi prevailed 
among the early writers, because several kinds passed through 
several grades before arriving at maturity, and those grades 
were thought to be different families or orders. There were about 
2,500 British kinds, but many classes were made which were only 
parthogenetic, that is, passed through many changes, as was well 
known to occur among insects and other members of the animal 
kingdom before the final change was arrived at. They have their origin 
in mycelium or spawn, which are threads of closely compacted cells, 
processes being put forth from the germinating spores, The idea or 
notion of a fungus as distinguished from an algal, forbade the idea of 
free cells without ulterior development. Many mycelia produced in 
vegetable and mineral infusions were only submerged confervoid 
forms, and should be referred to alge. With reference to the forma- 
tion of fruit, every fungus had a vegetating and a fructifying surface, 
the two being confluent at first. The fruit was formed on two distinct 
plants, viz:—1. Acrosporous or sporiferi. The tops of certain threads 
swelled into bodies which gave rise to a single cell; the cell contents 
either condensed into a mass, or compounded by the formation of 
membranous partitions. The spores ultimately fell off, and threads 
formed by germination. 2. Ascigerous, or sporidiferi. Certain 
threads formed bags or tubes, and the cell contents resolved into a 
definite or indefinite mass of spores, often eights. The family of 
Jungales, or fungi, was divided into six principal orders, which were 
called by hard names, but easily understood by those gentlemen who 
had learnt Greek, and to them a description of their nature would 
be unnecessary beyond naming them, but as all present did not know 
Greek, he would describe them, viz :—Hymenomycetes, or, naked 
spores, of which an ordinary mushroom was the type. Gasteromycetes, 
or those in which the spores were enclosed in a peridium, or bag, of 
which puff-balls were examples. Hyphomycetes, or web-like, in 
which the hymenium formed a web-like growth with spores spring- 
ing from it, as in the potato blight. Coniomycetes, in which the 
hymenium could scarcely be seen, and which had abundance of 
dusty spores, and in this order we find those diseases affecting our 
grain crops, as bunt and red rust; these four are sporiferi. Then 
Ascomycetes, in which the spores are contained in asci or bags, 
