16 NATUEE OF FUNGI. 



by a protrusion of the inner membrane, or an 

 elongation of the outer, ■ thus lengthening 

 out its spawn. This is the usual or normal 

 jnode : but, as will be hereafter seen, appa- 

 rently not the only one, for we shall have to 

 describe another method of germination in the 

 case of certain parasitic fungi belonging to our 

 subject. The term sporule will also occur, by 

 wbich we mean the fine contents of the seeds 

 of the fungi. "We shall see, in the course of 

 the work, that these fine contents appear to 

 circulate in plants and grow. Fungi may be 

 said to consist of a mass of little cells, or little 

 threads, or of both combined in various ways. 

 They have no fructification except their spores, 

 or sporidia, of which the n^ethods of attach- 

 ment are singularly curious and beautiful. In 

 their respiratory functions they approach'' to 

 the peculiarity of animal rather than vegetable 

 life, for they absorb oxygen and exhale car- 

 bonic acid gas. Like flesh, they pontain a great 

 quantity of nitrogen; and the substance called 

 fungine, extracted from them by the chemist, 

 is said to bear a near resemblance to animal 

 matter. They derive their nourishment from 

 the substances qn which they grow, and not, 

 as is the case with the lichens and algse, from 

 the media in which they exist. The juices 



