THE STINKING PHALLUS. 



is so diffused on all sides, that it rather leads us 

 astray from the object than aids our search, the 

 plant being hidden frequently in the depth of the 

 hedge. I have at times found it by watching the 

 flight of the flies, which are attracted by its fetor. 

 This strong smell is supposed to reside in the green 

 gelatinous substance which is attached to the cell 

 of the pileus ; but the odour is at times discharged 

 by this phallus, before the stem has arisen from the 

 egg-like wrapper by which it is inclosed. This is 

 a very unpleasant plant to delineate, as its odour, 

 when in a room, is so very offensive, that few per- 

 sons would willingly tolerate its presence ; and its 

 growth is so rapid in an increased temperature, 

 that the form and appearance soon become changed. 

 The seed is supposed to reside in the cells of the 

 pileus and the gelatinous matter which we find on 

 its summit ; and on this, and every part of the 

 plant, slugs of various kinds are commonly found 

 feeding, which, retiring to their holes in the earth, 

 from the contents of their stomachs probably pro- 

 pagate this phallus. That many of our agarics, 

 and those boleti which have central stems, are so 

 diffused around by the agency of these creatures, 

 it is reasonable to conclude ; for it is a very usual 

 thing to find the gills of these plants, in which the 

 seed resides, so entirely eaten away by slugs as to 

 have no remains perceptible, except a little of the 

 flesh and the outer skin ; and they prefer those 

 plants which are somewhat advanced in age, and in 

 which we suppose the seminal matter to be more 

 perfected. 



