32 OITLIXES OF BRITISH FUNGOLOGY, 



than in the cavities of the cells of phsenogaras, or their inter- 

 cellular spaces. The presence^ however, of the little animal 

 in the cerebral cysts, wliicli causes the disease known under 

 the name of ' giddiness' in sheep, was once equally obscure, 

 and even since its origin is known, the rapidity with which 

 the young of the tapeworm of the dog, after it has been 

 swallowed by the sheep, penetrates the brain through a very 

 devious course, is marvel enough to command all our powers 

 of faith. 



The existence of Fungi on the mucous membrane of ani- 

 mals, or in other situations, will be noticed when I come to 

 the consideration of the diseases produced by Fungi. 



Two other circumstances, however, require a few lines 

 before T close this Chapter. The first of these is the occur- 

 rence of Mould in the inside of bread a few hours after it is 

 baked. This was at one time notoriously the case with the 

 coarse "pain de munition,'^ or barrack-bread, at Paris. A 

 beautiful red Mould appeared in its very centre within an in- 

 credibly short space of time. It was, however, found that the 

 spores of certain Fungi would bear moist heat equal to that 

 of boiling water without losing their power of germination. 

 They have also considerable powers of resisting frost, but the 

 exact limits in either case under varying circumstances have 

 not at present been ascertained. 



The other point is the apparently sudden development of 

 fungous matter on cooked provisions, whether animal or vege- 

 table, in very hot w-eathcr. As the Fungus thus produced is of 

 a bright blood-red, and often spreads in little jets as if spirted 

 from an artery, it has been supposed to arise from a rain of 

 blood. The production is not, however, so uncommon as is 

 supposed, and may be seen almost every year on some of the 

 larger and more perfect Fungi when in a state of decay, though 



