112 FUNGI. 



They should be viewed first as opake objects under a 

 low power ; and then sections should be made, or the 

 textures separated with the mounted needles. 



There is some difficulty in moistening the smaller 

 filamentous Fungi with water, which is requisite in 

 the determination of the arrangement of the spores 

 upon the branches. Hence the best plan is to lay 

 the Fungus upon a slide, apply a cover, then to add a 

 drop of spirit of wine and afterwards a little water to 

 the edge of the cover. When thus wetted, the spores 

 may be more or less removed with a wet hair-pencil, 

 when the ends of the branches will become perfectly 

 distinct. In examination of the dried smaller Fungi 

 as the Sphteria, the capsules should be macerated for 

 a time in water. 



The softer Fungi are very difficult of preservation 

 in the entire state ; but the sections or minute struc- 

 tures may be mounted in chloride of calcium or 

 glycerine. 



The harder and drier Fungi may be preserved by 

 drying and gentle pressure between coarse absorbent 

 paper. They may then be glued to pieces of paper 

 and labelled, in the same manner as the flowering 

 plants. Specimens of the capsules, as of the Sph<eri<e, 

 &c., may also be mounted in the dry state, the asci 

 being preserved in the chloride of calcium or gly- 

 cerine, in which liquids most of the smaller Fungi 

 will keep extremely well. 



