88 WONDERS OF ORGANIC LIFE. 



powers, and one of a higher power demon- 

 strates that the filaments are nothing more than 

 cells drawn out. Sometimes, as in the genus 

 Uredo, the cells are spheroidal, having little 

 connexion with each other, each cell containing 

 propagating matter, and all separating from 

 each other in the form of a fine powder when 

 ripe. In plants of a more advanced organiza- 

 tion, as the genus Monilia, the constituent cells 

 are connected in series which preserve their 

 spherical form, and also contain their own re- 

 productive matter ; while in such plants as 

 Aspergillas, the cells partly combine into 

 threads forming a stem, and partly preserve 

 their spheroidal form for the fructification. 

 " From adhering in simple series, the structure 

 of fungi advances to a combination of such 

 series into strata, whence result the various kinds 

 of dry-rot, thick leathery substances developing 

 amidst decaying timber ; a more complicated 

 structure is thence produced in the form of 

 puff-balls, truffles, and the like, in which a 

 figure approaching that of a sphere is the 

 result. The reproductive cells are indiscrimi- 

 nately confused in the interior of such plants, 

 and the organization is so much complicated, 

 that independently of mere aggregation of 

 tissue we find envelopes of various kinds for 

 the protection of the propagating matter, as in 

 Argaricas (mushroom,) and special receptacles 

 for it, as in Boletus and numerous others." 



" It is probable, however, that in all fungi, and 

 certain that in most of them, the first develop- 



