BLACK-SPORED AGARICS. 



35 



In Fig. 32 are shown two buttons of the size when they are just 

 ready to break through the soil. 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 



Figure 23- Coprinus comatus (natural size). 



part of the button is already forming the cap, and the slight con- 

 striction about midway shows the lower boundary or margin of the 

 pileus where it is still connected with the undeveloped stem. 



At the right of each of these buttons in the figure is shown a sec- 

 tion of a plant of the same age. Here the parts of the plant, though 



