THE COPRINUS TYPE OF FRUIT-BODY 



199 



thickened marginal bands of adjacent gills are in contact with 

 one another, so that a solid white cylinder is formed which en- 

 sheaths the stipe. It is important to notice that the gills, 

 except where they join at the membranous flesh of the pileus 

 and are in contact by means of the inner inflated marginal bands, 



FIG. 70. Voprinus comatua. Same fruit-bodies as shown in Fig. (>9, twenty-two 

 hours older. All are shedding spores and undergoing autodigestion. The 

 pileus of the tallest has become reduced to one-half its original size and a 

 few drops of inky fluid have fallen from its recurved rim on to the pilei 

 below. The stipes have lengthened considerably. Photographed at Button 

 Park, Warwickshire, by J. E. Titley. About ^ natural size. 



are separated throughout their entire length (Plate I., Fig. 5). 

 In the spaces thus provided between the gills, the projecting 

 basidia can freely develop to maturity (Plate III., Fig. 14). It 

 thus happens that the spores of basidia, which belong to adjacent 

 gills, are never in danger of coming into actual contact and con- 



