( xliv ) 



myrmex rimosus, Wheeler himself has given the name 

 Tyridiomyces formicaruni, which is described, rather vaguely, 

 as it seems to me, from a systematic standpoint, as having 

 elliptical cells much like those of the yeast plant {Saccharo- 

 myces). 



" It is, I think, important to note that the fungi found by 

 Moeller were on extinct or abandoned nests. From the 

 description of Wheeler's Tyridiomyces, I am tempted to think 

 that the fungus has been named from asexual spores (conidia). 

 The sprouting of ' yeast-like ' cells from a mycelium is not 

 uncommon, and these sprouted cells themselves in turn go 

 on budding off asexual spores ; but no ascospores ever occm', 

 as in the true yeasts. This condition in which asexual 

 sprouting goes on, and its relation to the substratum in fungi 

 other than yeasts, is discussed in De Bary (' Comparative 

 Morphology and Biology of the Fungi and Bacteria,' English 

 Edition, 1887, p. 271). It occurs in both Basidiomycetes and 

 Ascomycetes, the groups in which all investigators have looked 

 for Ant-fungi. It is quite possible that Wheeler's fungus is 

 merely a sprouting stage of a higher form. 



" In the case of the Cremastogaster fungus, however, there 

 is no question of ' old ' nests, for I notice in one or two cases, 

 the sporophore is just beginning to break out from a ' shelter- 

 substratum,' apparently but newly made over the Coccid 

 which is accompanied by its ant. 



" One or two questions seem to me to require answering. 

 First, what is the precise relationship of the ant to the fungus ? 

 The sporophore does- not appear to be eaten. It may be, 

 doubtless is, that the vegetative part of the fungus which 

 would tend to grow downwards into the shelter, is the part 

 eaten. Perhaps the Coccid secretion, exerting a chemotropic 

 influence, would encourage this, which suggests another 

 question — does the ant utilise the Coccid secretions directly, 

 as is the usual course, or does it go to the nourishment of the 

 fungus ? This postulates such a very high degree of specialisa- 

 tion that one hesitates to put the question, but why the mixed 

 farming at all ? It must not be forgotten that we found the 

 fungus apparently flourishing in the dry season. Marvellous 

 as are the subterranean fungus-farms of the Attiines, those of 



