105 



Notes on Some Puff-Balls of Indlvna. 



By Frank D. Kern. 



Our largest fmi;;i lieloiig td the gmuii iinpularly kimwii as ]ml'f-lia!ls. 

 They receive this name because of the fact that most of them when mature 

 and dry puff fortli their spores in clouds upon the slightest disturbance. 

 Those who are in the habit of thinking of muslirooms. toadstoods, or ordi- 

 nary puff-balls 'as are large fungi may be sonle^^•hat surprised to learn that 

 within our own State certain species of puft'-balls frequently attain a size 

 equal to the largest iiuiii]ikins. (See Fig. 1.) Notes concerning some of 



Figure 1. CALVATIA BOVISTA 

 A fresh specimen measuring 40 cm. in diameter and weighing 9j pounds. 



these larger forms may therefore not be witliout interest, especially since 

 they form an important jiart of our fungous food products. 



There have been in the Fnited States four important workers with 

 puff-balls, Peck, Trelease, ]Morgan and C. G. Lloyd. I'eck's work has been 

 largely devoted to New York forms while Trelease's studies were confined 



