104 A NEW ZEALAND NATURALIST'S CALENDAR. 



so will not apologise for them, only pointing out that 

 if we are to speak of these plants specifically we must 

 use the names which botanists have given them. This 

 is a subterranean fungus, something like the famous 

 morels and truffles which fetch such a high price in 

 Europe ; and, being so, it is not possible to say before- 

 hand where it may be looked for. In woods in the south- 

 west of England, where truffles occur, I believe pigs are 

 used to find them, the animals being driven away from 

 the spots where they begin to root up the ground vigor- 

 ously. But in France trained poodles are used for the 

 same purpose. I have little doubt the Maoris ate this 

 fungus, and perhaps knew how and where to look for 

 it. At the edible stage it is like a large soft potato, the 

 rough brownish skin covering a thick jelly - like mass ; 

 but when mature and ready to distribute its spores the 

 inside is found to have developed a network of tubes as 

 thick as one's little finger, and forming a large white 

 basket-like frame several inches in diameter. This ex- 

 pands so much that it not only bursts open the enveloping 

 skin, but throws up the soil, and thus becomes exposed. 

 If a little of the brownish slime which occurs on the white 

 tubes is examined under the microscope it is seen to con- 

 sist of innumerable oblong spores. 



Among the numerous other fungi to be looked for in 

 June, two are deserving of special mention on account of 

 their brilliant colour. HygropJiorus cyaneus is a bright 

 sky-blue and rather rare species ; but Aseroe mibra, which 

 is not uncommon, is a red and very attractive form. It 

 stands an inch or two off the ground, and opens out like a 

 fine red starfish, with several radiating arms. But handle 

 it circumspectly, for its smell is most offensive, just like 

 putrid carrion. Evidently it is meant to be visited by 

 carrion flies, which, either themselves or by their maggots, 

 help to disseminate the spores. Biit why should it develop 

 its attractions in winter, and, indeed, why are so many 

 fungi brightly and often delicately coloured? These are 

 questions I cannot answer satisfactorily. 



June corresponds roughly to December in the Old 



