PUNGI 



What a vast 

 number of spores 

 one of these 

 sends out! 



There is one 

 very curious 

 form of puff-bal 

 that always 

 Interests the 

 ^class very much. 

 It is known as 

 the Geaster 

 (earth star.) It 

 is a puff-ball 

 with a great 

 collar around its 

 neck. When it 

 is dry the rays 



Fig. 18 A very common form ot small puff-ball. The one at the * * nis C O 1 1 a I 

 light hand is discharging its spores. GUr j u tightly 



over the ball. (Fig. 19.) When 

 moistened the rays of the collar 

 swell up and turn out first, 

 then down against the ground and 

 raise the ball up as in Fig. 20. A 

 dry Geaster placed in a dish of 

 water will quickly take the form in 

 Fig. 20, and may soon be given the 

 form in Fig. 19 by drying. This 

 process may be repeated many 

 times on the same individual. 

 Moulds lead the same life as do the mushrooms. As the 

 whole course of their life can easily be observed the study 

 of a mould is very interesting and makes the conception ol the 

 life histoty of the large fungi clearer. 



Fig 19 A Geaster with its collar 

 turned up. 



