162 



THE POPULAR EDUCATOR. 



In the puff-ball (Lycoperdon stellatum, etc.) and in some 

 other tribes the spores are wholly internal, and in such pro- 

 digious numbers as quite to fill the cavity of the fungus, 

 and to burst out from its centre, when pressed, like a dense 

 smoke. 



Of such a structure is the Lycoperdon stellatum, or stellated 

 puff-ball, of which we give a cut (Fig. 302) ; the spores issuing 

 in a column from the chimney-like aperture, when the bag below 

 is pressed, so suddenly and so high in proportion to its size as 

 to be quite startling. 



It would be occupying 1 too much space were we to attempt 

 to give any detailed account of the mode of development of 

 -hese spores, or of other parts of the structure of this wonder- 

 t'ul tribe ; we must, therefore, refer such of our readers as 

 desire deeper information on these points to more learned and 

 elaborate writers on the subject, and restrict ourselves to the 

 single object of supplying a few such facts connected with the 

 .appearance and habits of some of the genera as may serve to 

 interest the general reader. 



"What geometry shall define their ever-varying shapes? who 

 but a Venetian painter do justice to their colours ?" says Dr. 

 Badham, in hia interesting work, "On the Esculent Funguses 

 of England." And well may he challenge competition with this 

 Protean family. " As to shapes," he adds, " some are simple 

 threads, like the Byssus, and never get beyond this ; some shoot 

 out into branches like sea- weed ; some puff themselves out into 

 puff-balls ; some thrust their heads into mitres ; these assume 

 the shape of a cup, and those of a wine-funnel ; some, like 

 Agaricus mammosus, have a teat ; others, like Agaricus clypeo- 

 larius, are umbonated at their centre ; these are stilted upon a 

 high leg, and those have not a leg to stand on ; some are shell- 

 shaped, some are bell-shaped, and some hang upon their stalks 

 like a lawyer's wig. Some assume the form of a horse's hoof, 

 others of a goat's beard ; in the Clathrus cancellatus you look 

 into the fungus through a thick red trellis which surrounds it." 

 Besides these marvellously-varied kinds, there are others one 

 formed like a nest, another like an ear. " One,' ' says Dr. Badham, 

 "is so like a tongue in shape and general appearance, that in the 

 days of enchanted trees you would not have cut it off to pickle 

 or to eat on any account, lest the knight to whom it belonged 

 should afterwards come to claim it of you." 



Another of our cuts (Fig. 303) represents that most brilliantly 

 beautiful species Agaricus muscarius. Few objects can be more 

 splendid than a cluster of these richly-tinted fungi, when they 

 have been allowed to attain any size without being preyed on by 

 slugs or other enemies. The pileus, or cup, is of a vivid orange- 

 red, though sometimes more inclining to a carmine hue, and over 

 it are scattered angular warts of a snowy whiteness. It rises 

 first from the earth in a conical form ; then, after a time, the pure 

 white veil which connects the edge of the cup with the stipes, or 

 stem, gives way, and falls back, showing the pale, lemon-tinted 

 gills which lie beneath. The base of the stipes is bulb-shaped, 

 and the fungus, when extended fully, often five or six inches in 

 diameter, standing on a velvet-like white stem of several inches in 

 height. It is highly poisonous, and is used by the Russians to 

 make an intoxicating potion, called moucho more, which they use 

 to produce a kind of delirium. The coal-mines of Dresden exhibit 

 the interesting phenomenon of fungi which emit light like pale 

 moonbeams ; and Mr. Gardner states, that whilst passing along 

 the streets of a Brazilian town he " observed some boys amusing 

 themselves with what appeared to be large fire-flies, but which 

 proved, on inspection, to be a fungus belonging to the genus 

 Agaricus, which gave out a bright phosphorescent light of a pale 

 green." He next day obtained considerable quantities, and found 

 that * few of them in a dark room were sufficient to read by. 

 Of a few of the varied farms of this singular tribe our cuts and 

 descriptions may have given some little idea ; but to supply the 

 least notion of the exquisite and most vivid tinting, the -coft 

 pencilling and shading which these singular productions display, 

 would baffle the most skilful painter. Their hues are as varied 

 as they are lovely. In one tribe alone, the Agarics, we find crim- 

 son flecked with white, violet, rich orange, scarlet, yellow of 

 every tint, green, pure white, brown of all shades, and a thousand 

 other dyes. Over the spreading caps of some of the species of this 

 genus are scattered snow-white warts; some are marked with 

 geometrical figures, and many kinds are covered with a glossy 

 varnish which gives to them almost a metallic lustre. In texture 

 they also greatly differ, some species being so leathery and firm 



that they can be sewed together ; the Amadou is of this cha- 

 racter, which has been used by a medical practitioner in extensive 

 sheets for spreading under sufferers from excoriation, it being 

 softer and more elastic than chamois leather. The poor in 

 Franconia also make themselves dresses of this fungus. Some 

 fungi are as hard as wood, others so brittle that the touch of a 

 finger will break them ; some are solid and firm, and others slimy 

 and disagreeable to the touch. 



They also present immense diversity in both odour and flavour, 

 some species emitting so disagreeable a smell as to be altogether 

 unbearable, whilst others are described as smelling "like the 

 bloom of May." One species smells of onions, another of cin- 

 namon, a third of tarragon, a fourth of apricots and ratafia. 

 Besides these various olfactory effusions, fungi present us with 

 as illusive and remarkable flavours. To use Dr. Badham's words, 

 " they are sapid, sour, sweet, peppery, rich, acrid, nauseous, 

 bitter, styptic;" a few, and these generally of a dangerous 

 character, have little or no taste ; and there are others whose 

 flavour is unlike that of any other substance in existence, and 

 quite peculiar to themselves that, for instance, of the mould on 

 cheese, a taste well known to all, and much admired by some. 



Singular. 



MASCULINE. FEMININE, 



Quien. 



Que. 



El cual,* la cual. 



Cuyo, cuya. 



LESSONS IN SPANISH. VI. 



RELATIVE PRONOUNS. 



THE relative pronouns are quien, who; el cual, ^uho, which, 

 that ; que, who, which, that; cuyo, whose, or of which. They 

 are thus declined : 



Plural. 



MASCULINE. FEMININE. 



Quienes. 



Que. 



Los cuales, las cuales. 



Cuyos, cuyas. 



Quien always relates to persons, and agrees with its ante- 

 cedent in gender and number ; as 



El general es quien los vio, Tlie general is (he) who saw thKiti. 



Las reiiias son quienes le maldi- The queens are (they) who reviled 



jeron, him. 



When quien (or quienes) is governed by a verb, it is always 

 preceded by the preposition d; as 

 La dama a quien vmd. teuie, The lady whom you fear. 



El cual and que, like the relative pronoun that in English, 

 relate both to persons and things, agreeing with their ante- 

 cedent in gender and number. El cual is generally to be used 

 to prevent the repetition of quien or que; as 

 La vaca que vio, y de la cual hubla, The cow which he saw, and of which 



es timida, he speaks, is timid. 



Cuyo is the possessive relative pronoun, answering to whose, 

 which, or of which, in English, and agrees with the noun which 

 comes after it; as 



El hombre cuya madre es buena, The man whose mother is good. 

 La casa cuyos cuartos son espa- Tlie house of which the rooms are 



ciosos, spacious. 



When the relative pronoun refers to persons, que is generally 

 used for quien, in the nominative case ; but in the objective 

 case d quien or que is used (generally the former) ; as 

 El hombre quu habla, The man who speaks. 



La mu^er a quien Juan vio, or la The woman whom John saw. 



muger que Juan vio, 



If whmn is preceded by a preposition, quien is always used in 

 Spanish; as 



El muchacho para quien 6\ lo hizo, Tlie boy for whom he did it. 

 Un hombre en quien el rey tiene A man in whom the king has much 



mucha confianza, confidence. 



What, when it means that which, is in Spanish lo que; when 

 it means what thing, it is que ; and when used before a noun, 

 what or which is que or cual ; as 

 Lo que a alguuos gusta a otros What to some is-pleasant, to others 



disgusta, is-disgusting. 



To nose que libros leer, or yo no se I kr.ow not what (or which) books to 



cuales libros leer, read. 



He who or he that is in Spanish el que ; she wlio, la que ; they 



* lo cual is sometimes used instead of el cual. 



