OF BRITISH FUNGI. 99 



The order next in rotation is Hyxogastres, in which 

 the entire mass is at first pulpy and gelatinous, becom- 

 ing ultimately dusty. This is a remarkable group, 

 sometimes presenting individuals exceedingly beautiful 

 both in form and colouring ; and were they not of such 

 microscopic dimensions, they would certainly become 

 popular favourites, only surpassed by some species of 

 jfficidium, which would compete with them for the 

 preference. Unfortunately, however, these beautiful 

 creations are unknown, save to the privileged few who 

 have, by the aid of the microscope, become acquainted, 

 not only with these, but other minute denizens of a 

 new floral world. As it constitutes a portion of the 

 plan upon which this work was designed, that it should 

 not include more than incidental references to species 

 unappreciable by the naked eye, these and many 

 succeeding groups, of greater or less extent, will have 

 to be thus summarily dismissed. 



It is probable that the young student of nature has 

 found, and marvelled at, certain curious cup or crucible- 

 shaped receptacles containing a number of roundish or 

 elliptical bodies, which caused the whole to assume the 

 appearance of a miniature birdsnest containing eggs, 

 and hence procured for them the name of Birdsnest 

 Fungi. These singular, but not uncommon produc- 

 tions, are members of the order Nidulariacei (nidulus, 

 Lai, a little nest), so termed from the features alluded 

 to. In this order the spores are compacted together 

 into lenticular or similarly shaped masses, inclosed in 

 a peridium, and several of these are contained within 

 H 2 



