THE MOSSES, FUNGI, AND LICHENS. 



307 



of spores. Each of these spores is of the 

 sta r-snape seen in Fig. 248. When viewed with 

 transmitted light, they are of an amber colour. 

 During the summer months these black pustules 

 may be found on nearly every dead twig of beech or 

 lime which still remains attached to the parent 

 tree. The proper way to mount the spores is to 



Fig. 248. 



Star-spored Fungus (Asterosporivm Hoffmanni) 



take out a portion with the point of a penknife and 

 lay it on a glass slide, adding a drop of spirit, 

 which will break up the mass into individual spores. 

 A portion of this fluid may then be transferred to a 

 clean slide, and a drop of balsam placed on it as the 

 spirit evaporates. The whole should then be covered 

 with thin glass in the ordinary way. Similar 



x 2 



