ig8 RESEARCHES ON FUNGI 



of from 6 to about 12 feet above the ground. Two of these 

 fruit-bodies I identified as Armillaria mellea and one as Hygrophorus 

 chrysodon. I suspected that the destructive agent had been a 

 Red Squirrel, for Red Squirrels were not uncommon in the woods. 

 On October 6 my suspicions were confirmed. On that day I was 

 approaching the Lake of the Woods and, just as I came to its 



FIG. 70. Elaphomyces granulatus, a fungus with subter- 

 ranean fruit-bodies. The right-hand fruit-body, which 

 has been partially devoured, was found upon the surface 

 of the ground in Oxshott Woods, Surrey, England. As 

 shown by the tooth marks it was unearthed by a rodent, 

 in all probability by a squirrel. Found and photo- 

 graphed by Somerville Hastings. Natural size. 



margin, I saw a Red Squirrel on the top of a wood-pile close by the 

 water's edge not 20 feet away. I stood still and observed that 

 the squirrel was sitting on its hind legs with its tail curled over its 

 back and was engaged in eating an agaric held in its fore-paws. 

 I watched this little scene for some moments and then drew nearer, 

 whereupon the squirrel suddenly dropped the fungus and darted 

 away. I then went up to the wood-pile and recovered the fungus, 

 which proved to be a fruit-body of Armillaria mellea. The pileus 

 had been eaten all around the periphery ; but the disc showed the 

 characteristic honey colour and scales, and the stipe still retained its 

 annulus and its peculiar dingy yellow base. On the ground at the 



