several times before (Cfr. Myc. Notes, pages 262, 286, 452) and the 

 receipt of a collection from Dr. J. F. Brenckle, N. Dakota, leads to 

 some additional remarks. The species is exceptional in several 

 respects. It is the smallest and perhaps the rare t puff ball known. 

 It is widely distributed and there are but nine collections known as 

 follows: Ecuador, type, also Rev. F. Mille; Jamaica, W. Jekyll; 



Fig. 853. 



Bovistella echinella. The upper natural size. The lower enlarged six fold to show the mouth. 



Mexico, J. N. Rose; Denmark, Rev. J. Breitung; Lapland, R. E. 

 Fries; Michigan, B. O. Longyear; Washington, W. N. Suksdorf; 

 North Dakota, Dr. J. F. Brenckle. All these nine collections are in 

 our museum and but one (the type) in any other as far as I have 

 ever noted. 



The species is peculiar in another feature. It has a definite, pro- 

 truding mouth (see lower figure 853), a character ccmmon in Geasters 

 and Tylostomas but found on no other closely related plant such as 

 Bovistella, Bovista, or Lycoperdon. This mouth has led to an im- 

 portant (to McGinty) historical discovery. Patouillard named it 



603 



