NOTABLE PHENOMENA. 109 



were amusing themselves with some luminous object, which at 

 first he supposed to be a kind of large fire-fly, but on making 

 inquiry he found it to be a beautiful phosphorescent Agaric, 

 which he was told grew abundantly in the neighbourhood on 

 the decaying fronds of a dwarf palm. The whole plant gives 

 out at night a bright light somewhat similar to that emitted 

 by the larger fire-flies, having a pale greenish hue. From this 

 circumstance, and from growing on a palm, it was called by the 

 inhabitants "flor de coco."* 



The number of recognized phosphorescent species of Agaricus 

 is not large, although two or three others may be enumerated 

 in addition to those cited by Tulasne. Of these, Agaricus 

 lampas, and some others, are found in Australia.f In addition 

 to the Agaricus noctileucus, discovered by Gaudichaud, and the 

 Agaricus igneus of E/umphius, found in Amboyna, Dr. Hooker 

 speaks of the phenomenon as common in Sikkim, but he seems 

 never to have been able to ascertain with what species it was 

 associated. 



Dr. Cuthbert Collingwood has communicated some further, 

 information relative to the luminosity of a species of Agaricus 

 in Borneo (supposed to be A. Gardneri), in which he says, 

 " The night being dark, the fungi could be very distinctly seen, 

 though not at any great distance, shining with a soft pale 

 greenish light. Here and there spots of much more intense 

 light were visible, and these proved to be very young and 

 minute specimens. The older specimens may more properly 

 be described as possessing a greenish luminous glow, like the 

 glow of the electric discharge, which, however, was quite suf- 

 ficient to define its shape, and, when closely examined, the chief 

 details of its form and appearance. The luminosity did not 

 impart itself to the hand, and did not appear to be affected by 

 the separation from the root on which it grew, at least not for 

 some hours. I think it probable that the mycelium of this 

 fungus is also luminous, for, upon turning up the ground in 

 search of small luminous worms, minute spots of light were 



* In " Hooker's Journal of Botany " (1840), vol. ii. p. 426. 

 t Berkeley, "Introduction to Crypt. Bot." t. 265. 

 fi 



