DISPERSION OF SPORES AND CONIDIA 115 



intestine. Spores that refused to germinate in many 

 media germinated readily in the liquid found in the 

 digestive tract of a slug, and formed a strong mycelium. 

 This author placed all slugs found feeding on fungi in an 

 enclosed space of ground, and the following season 

 observed many more species of agarics in this enclosed 

 space than in the surrounding part. This was considered 

 to be due to the facility for germination of the spores after 

 having passed through the alimentary canal. Toads eat 

 slugs ; and spores, especially of species of Russula, have 

 been found germinating in the intestinal canal; hence 

 toads assist indirectly in the distribution of fungus spores. 



Flies are also known to be active agents in this 

 direction. In Phallus impudicus the strong-smelling green 

 slime in which the very minute spores are embedded con- 

 tains, according to Rathay and Haas, three forms of sugar : 

 levulose, dextrose, and another intermediate between 

 dextrose and gum. This fetid slime is greedily eaten by 

 flies, and Fulton has proved that the spores of Phallus are 

 transported in myriads by adhering to their feet and pro- 

 boscides. He also showed that spores that had passed 

 through the digestive system of flies germinated and pro- 

 duced the characteristic mycelial strands of Phallus. 



This mode of spore dispersion is true of all the 

 members of the Phalloideae, which are most abundant 

 in tropical and subtropical regions. The hymenial portion 

 of the sporophore is in many instances brightly coloured, 

 usually red ; there is equally constant, a very strong, 

 penetrating smell, and a gluten in which the spores are 

 embedded, containing substances serving as food for flies. 

 Some species emit a phosphorescent light at night, which 

 attracts moths. It is interesting to note that smell and 



