MELANOSPORAE. 301 



colour of the spores. When a doubtful specimen presents 

 itself, the only certain method is to examine the spores 

 microscopically, and also in the mass as thrown down on 

 paper. 



In the genus Russula, included in the Leucosporae, the 

 spores are in some species pure white, in others cream-colour, 

 and in several clear pale ochraceous. 



Finally, in numerous species of Cortinarius the gills are 

 deep purple during certain stages of development, but this 

 colour is never present in the spores. 



The spores can be obtained in the mass, and the colour 

 seen by the naked eye, if the stem is cut off close to the 

 gills, and the pileus placed gills downwards on paper and 

 allowed to remain for a few hours. If the species is pre- 

 sumably a dark-spored one, use white paper; if pink or 

 white spored, use black paper. 



MELANOSPOKAE. 



The present section includes five genera characterised by 

 having black spores, as seen in the mass and on a white 

 ground; under such circumstances there is no tinge of 

 purple or brown. Seen under the microscope by transmitted 

 light the spores are in some species black and opaque, in 

 others subtranslucent and often of a sooty-brown colour. 

 The flesh of the pileus is usually thin and often membrana- 

 ceous. In the genus Coprinus the gills are, during the young 

 stage, closely pressed together like the leaves of a book ; 

 cystidia are commonly present, and when the spores are 

 mature the whole structure of the gills deliquesces and 

 drips away, charged with the black spores in the form of an 

 inky fluid. 



In the genera Panaeolus, Anellaria, and Psathyrella, the 

 gills are free from each other laterally, and persistent, fre- 

 quently dark grey and variegated with the black spores. 



The species, as a rule, are long-stemmed, and with a 

 cylindrical or carnpanulate thin pileus that often eventually 

 becomes expanded, and in many species is deeply sulcate or 

 grooved. 



The atomate appearance of the pileus so characteristic of 



