about 200 mm. thick at the broadest part, consisting of innumerable el- 

 liptical, hyaline spores, imbedded in irregularly shaped, hyaline tissue. 



The genus Crucibulum consists of a single known species, 15 very 

 common in Europe, America and Australia, and reported from North 

 Africa, Mauritius and other countries. I have never seen specimens 

 from the tropics proper. 



CRUCIBULUM VULGARE (Plate 104). Peridium bell-shaped, 

 usually about 8 mm. high and broad at the mouth. When young with 

 a yellowish velvety tomentum externally, but soon becoming smooth 

 and brown, when very old often bleach- 

 ing white. Even without and within. 

 The mouth covered when young with 

 an epiphragm, which is a continuation 

 of the walls of the peridium. It is cov- 

 ered with a yellowish tomentum on the 

 upper surface, consisting under the mi- 

 croscope of peculiar hairs with numer- 

 ous short, sharp branches. (Fig. 13, 

 taken from Tulasne.) The normal pe- 

 ridioles measure about 2 mm. in diam- 

 eter. They vary in size, and peridioles 

 measuring 1% to 2,y$ mm. are some- 

 \ r~i^J times found in the same cup. The 



<=^r^ tunica is light colored, usually white in 



old specimens, 16 and consists of a loosely 

 F ' 9< 13- woven membrane which frequently rup- 



tures. The peridiole (deprived of this tunica) is black. The funiculus 

 is a simple, elastic, thin cord, capable of long extension when wet. It 

 is attached to a little nipple-like protuberance on the peridiole. 



The spores are very numerous, and fill the interior of the peridiole, 

 imbedded in an irregular, angular tissue. They are hyaline, elliptical, 

 and measure 4-6x8-10 mic. Crucibulum vulgare is probably the 

 most common and widely spread bird's nest fungus that grows. It 

 occurs over Europe, America and Australia, and probably other coun- 

 tries. It grows on twigs, chips, old mats and debris of various kinds, 

 and sometimes on dry manure cakes. It rarely (if ever) occurs grow- 

 ing on the earth or on large logs. Very often the cups grow inside 

 of old cups of the same species, as shown in figs. 2 and 4, plate 104, 

 and this is the only "bird's nest fungus" I have ever noticed with this 

 habit. A very small form (Plate 104, fig. 3) is often met, particularly 

 in Australia, frequently on dry cakes of manure, which has cups 

 3-4 mm. broad and proportionately small peridioles. 



15 Two other species have been " described " but they are both errors. Miss White has examined 

 Crucibulum juglandicolum and states its synonymy with Crucibulum vulgare. I can state the same 

 as to Crucibulum simile. The latter was based on supposedly smaller spores, but my measurements 

 show them to be exactly the same as the normal plant. 



16 And by this character Crucibulum vulgare can be readily recognized as it is the only "bird's 

 nest-fungi" known with white "eggs." 



13 



