THE "BLUE" FUNGUS. 23 



bristle-like neck several times as long- as the diameter of the perithe- 

 cium (PL VII, 6). This neck becomes very brittle as soon as the peri- 

 thecium is mature, and breaks off at the slightest jar or touch. The 

 tips of the hyphre composing- the neck remain joined at the top until 

 the spores are discharged; they then separate and form a sort of cup- 

 shaped support for the spore mass (PL VII, 9). The body of the peri- 

 thecium when mature is about 180^ in diameter and 160/* high, and is 

 covered with scattering brown hyphae. The neck averages about 1,050,/u 

 in length and 20/* in thickness. 



The spores of Ceratostomella are elongated and somewhat curved 

 (PL VII, 8). They are very small, and the asci in which they are 

 borne are almost round or egg-shaped (PL VII, 7) and exceedingly 

 evanescent, so much so that it is very difficult to find them. Hun- 

 dreds of perithecia in all stages may be examined without showing 

 a sign of asci. When the spores are mature, they are discharged 

 through the neck, either in the form of a large drop (PL VII, 5, s), 

 or in a long, worm-like mass. The spores are held together by a 

 mucilaginous material, which will not mix with water. It is suggested 

 that this serves admirably to spread the spores through the agency of 

 crawling insects and worms, both common on wood where the peri- 

 thecia are likely to be found. The spores germinate in water after a 

 few hours, sending out a short hyaline germ tube, which branches 

 very soon after its appearance. The discharge of the spores takes 

 place when a certain amount of moisture has accumulated within the 

 perithecium. A rain storm often brings about a worm-like discharge 

 from ripening perithecia. In cultures a globular discharge takes place, 

 probably because of the more equitable distribution of water. The 

 spores measure 5.5/< by 2.5/*, average. 



GROWTH IN ARTIFICIAL MEDIA." 



The "blue" fungus grows quite readily in artificial media. In pine 

 agar the mycelium develops rapidly; less so in ordinary agar or gela- 

 tin. Cultures are most readily obtainable in pure condition by inoc- 

 ulating pine agar tubes with pieces of blued wood removed (with care 

 so as keep them sterile) from the inner portion of a blued log. The 

 hyphie grow out from the blued pieces and soon grow through the 

 agar to the surface. On nearly all cultures of this character peri- 

 thecia developed on the surface of the agar within a week. The asco- 

 spores germinate in a few hours, and at the end of thirty-six to forty- 

 eight hours a colorless mycelium bearing large numbers of conidiahas 

 developed. At first these conidia were regarded as contaminations, 

 but their repeated appearance in cultures made from pure cultures of the 



The cultural work was carried on in conjunction with Mr. George G. Hedgcock, 

 assistant in pathology. 



