142 Natural History Bulletin. 



maxima^ Schw., only in the fact that in the former the bases 

 of the warts forming the polygons on the epispores are joined 

 together into reticulations, while in S. maxima they are not. 

 If it be said that such difference is not sufficient for specific 

 separation, so much the worse for Rostafinski's species; 

 Schweinitz's being the older has precedence." The spores in 

 our specimens are evidently netted. The clustered sporangia 

 are found on stumps, logs, or even on the ground; the winds 

 of September soon scatter the spores but the delicate tufts 

 persist long, and in sheltered situations may be found at almost 

 any season. N. A. F., No. 2697. 



40. Stemonitis morgani. Peck. Plate VI, Figs. 6, 6a, 6h 



and 6c. 



Sporangia long, cylindrical, crowded, arising from a well 

 developed hypothallus, stalked, the stalks short, black, shin- 

 ing, extended to form a columella which scarcely reaches the 

 apex of the peridium. Capillitium net with meshes wide and 

 bearing subtriangular thickenings at the intersections. Spores 

 violet-brown, globose, adhesive, .008, minutely warted. 



This elegant species occurs not rarely on rotten wood, usually 

 in protected situations, although sometimes on the exposed 

 surfaces of its habitat. The sporangia attain with us unusual 

 height, sometimes two centimeters. Plasmodia three to eight 

 centimeters in diameter. The clear brown tufts appear in 

 fall, marvels of graceful elegance and beauty. 



Figs. 7 and 7«, on Plate VI, is a variety with shorter and 

 broader sporangia, the net-meshes coarser; otherwise perhaps 

 not distmct. Fig. 6(7, should not have appeared on the Plate. 

 It is Fig. 6c^ less highly magnified. 



41. Stemonitis ferruginea, Ehrenberg. Plate VI, Figs. 



5, 5a, and 5*^. 



Sporangia gregarious or coespitose, rising from a distinct 

 shining hypothallus, cylindrical, obtuse; columella reaching 



