58 Physiology of the Gyropodium coccineum 
of the cavity, but not attached to the sack containing it, 
except at the upper part, around the mouth or openin 
formed by the valves. This innermost sack is filled w ith 
a white pulpy mass, which, as the fungus advances to ma- 
turity, becomes a yellowish powder, very fine and light. 
e can be no doubt but this constitutes the seed; and 
the manner in which this is defended and discharged, is the 
most s og peculiarity in the fungus. The interior sack, 
co ing this powder, or seed, although thin and tender, is 
3 considerably resembling deer’s leather. e 
open directly into this sack, and when the seed is ripe, 
the sack gradually contracts, and thus forces open the valves 
aud sends forth the powder; the ouvplag: inmedaere a en- 
| g it, not being compressed, or a his 
os of the inner sack, will, of ae produce a wee 
“ie 
for they are so firmly fastened together around the mouth 
that no air can pass into the cavity between the sacks. E 
is vertical section of the head of the pO ye taken from a 
en in which the inner sack had so much contracted, 
t discharged. Whether the 
vacuum between the sacks i is filled with SENS air, 
finding its way through it 
a gas generated by the processes going on in the elant are 
questions which I could not settle; though disposed to 
adopt the latter supposition. I am inclined also, to believe, 
that the air which fills this cavity, exerts an influence in 
forcing the contents of the inner sack through the valves. 
For, in some specimens,, in an advanced state, I observe 
the lex sack itself forced out of the mouth of the fun- 
gus, so as to turn it inside outwards, as is represented at D. 
And I can conceive of no way in which this could be ef- 
fected, but by the pressure of the air beneath; and as the 
outermost of the two inner sacks is gelatinous, it contracts 
when beginning to dry, and this would produce the effect 
mentioned above of forcing out the innersack. Bya slight 
and rather sudden pressure upon a specimen half exhaust- 
ed of its powder, J have often seen the powder thrown out 
in profusion to the distance of six or eight, and even 
twelve inches, and then it floated in the air, having nearly 
the same specific gravity. 
in the lower part of the outer one, or between the two, 
and draw up that containing the powder towards the mouth: 
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