^bc ipilcjnms ot tbe Icar 161 



Mr. Gibson saw a brilliant orange-colored cone, not 

 quite an inch in height. Examination showed this 

 to be the cap of a small, inedible mushroom. The 

 little cone had a long stem penetrating deeply the 

 mosi# bed, and ^Nlr. Gibson, knowing that all fungi 

 grow upon some buried body — vegetable as a matter 

 of custom — concluded to dm the orange-tinted 

 fungus up, and see what manner of food it Avas 

 using. Separating the moss and working with care 

 he secured the entire fungus, and found it fastened 

 upon a chrysalis an inch and a half in length ! The 

 roots of the fungus branched and penetrated the 

 chrysalis in several portions, being there firmly 

 imbedded. 



Having dissected the chrysalis, Mr. Gibson found 

 in it the perfectly formed moth, which had reached 

 maturity and been ready to emerge when the roots 

 of the fungus penetrated its body, sucked up its 

 juices and accomplished its death. The moth had 

 been ready to seek air and light on a pair of wings, 

 a handsome insect ; instead it was now reaching air 

 and light in the form of an orange-colored mush- 

 room, whose period of life would probably be lim- 

 ited to no more than fort3^-eight hours, if so many. 



Mr. Gibson assumes that this was no erratic 

 fungus, living in a manner singular and individual, 

 but was of a family of feeders upon animal life, and if 

 11 



