46 RESEARCHES ON FUNGI 



liberating spores, becomes absolutely necessary. Some Mushrooms 

 which were grown for my purposes on a bed of horse manure, 

 whilst still shedding spores, were found to have their gills infested 

 with tiny animals, possibly Acarineae. These, when running about, 

 doubtless displaced a great number of spores, and probably also 

 used many of them as food. The extended velum partiale must 

 be an admirable means of keeping such creatures as these away 

 from the young gills, until, by its rending during the rapid 

 expansion of the pileus, the gill-chamber is broken open. A part 

 of the velum is often left on the stipe in the form of a more or 

 less pronounced ring, as in Coprinus comatus (Fig. 70, p. 199), 

 whilst in Amanita muscaria and allied species (Fig. 75, p. 212), 

 it hangs down in the form of a curtain. In the latter instance, 

 its position is such that it does not seriously interfere with the 

 falling spores as they are being carried oft' by air movements. 

 It is the extreme thinness and flexibility of the velum which 

 permits of its falling into the most unobstructive position when 

 it can no longer be of any service to the fruit-body. 



