(35) STUDIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF MUSHROOMS : II. 495 



growth has taken place in the formation of these tiny bodies 

 beneath the soil. They are made up of delicate threads and the 

 tiniest cells which have multiplied until there are countless num- 

 bers of them. Now when every thing is ready in these fungus 

 "buttons," the tiny cells already formed, as well as new ones still 

 forming, expand rapidly and this pushes the mushroom up into 

 view in a single night. 



In figure 84 are shown two buttons of the size when they are 

 just ready to break through the soil. They are now quite dark 



84. " Buttons' 1 ' 1 of Coprinus ; two in section, showing gill slits and 

 hollow stem. (Natural size. ) 



in color on the outside. They appear mottled with dark and 

 white, for the outer layer of fungus threads, which are dark 

 brown, is torn and separated into patches or scales, showing 

 between, the delicate meshes of white threads which lie beneath. 

 The upper part of the button is already forming the cap or 

 "pileus," and the slight constriction about midway shows the 

 lower boundary or margin of the pileus where it is still connected 

 with the undeveloped stem. 



We are curious to know if the internal structure of these but- 

 tons will reveal the parts of the mushroom. We can learn this 

 by splitting buttons through from one end to the other with a 



