THE NATURAL HISTORY 



the heap of " matter in the wrong place " disregarded 

 or evaded, he had cunningly concealed, in a convenient 

 recess in the closet, a specimen of the Phallus im- 

 pudicus, and allowed it to remain there until the 

 augean stable had been thoroughly cleansed, after 

 which consummation, he took the opportunity, unseen 

 by any of the household, of removing it and throwing 

 it away. The prescription, however, he carefully 

 treasured up for future use, "pro re nata, as the 

 doctors have it," he would add, with a merry twinkle, 

 but we have no reason to believe that he ever had 

 occasion to test its efficacy again. Should any of our 

 numerous readers feel curious to exercise their olfac- 

 tory sense within range of a mature specimen of the 

 Phallus impudicus, we can gratify them with the irv- 

 formation that they may do so at their convenience, 

 any time between the months of June and October, 

 in seasons favourable to the growth of this species of 

 fungus, and that the greater number of those who may 

 avail themselves of the opportunity of making the 

 experiment, will readily admit the propriety with 

 which the common plain English name of Stinkhorn 

 has been applied to the genus, we will not permit our- 

 selves to harbour a doubt. This (the only species of 

 the genus we have ever met with) is not a beautiful 

 object, either in form or colour, and, without entering 

 into structural details, we may roughly describe it as 

 consisting of a yellowish-white tubular stipe, or stem, 

 five or six inches high, of a light porous texture, and 

 surmounted by a conical pileus, or cap, of a darker 

 shade. We have very often found it in the Killing 

 Wood, West Wood, Garden Wood, Park Copse, the 

 Belt near Spithead, and other localities in the parish. 



The remaining Fungi which we shall notice are : 



Geaster fornicatus (Vaulting Geaster), found at Rye- 

 fields. 

 Bovista nigreseens (Blackish Bovista). 



