THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST 107 
each division, namely, Polypore: and Tuberace?. With the exception 
of the Agaracini, which I described in my last contribution to our 
Society, these two orders are certainly the most noble and useful of 
the fungoid group. 
Fungi are propagated by means of very small oval or round 
bodies called spores. In the family of Sporifera, these spores are 
produced on the tips of hair-like projecticns termed sterigmas, which 
issue from the extremities of thicker bodies (basidia); ‘hes heidi 
are thickly strewn on a membrane and grow all over it, putting one 
in mind of a field of Indian corn. This membrane or hymenium is 
differently placed in different orders; in Agaracini we have seen 
that it lines the gills placed under the pileus or cap, but in the 
Polypore: instead of gills, we find in the same place innumerable 
pores or tunnels as it were. placed side by side, penetrating the 
under-side of the pileus, sometimes only a little way but generally 
going almost through, being only stopped by the testa or outside 
skin. The hymencum is placed over the entire surface thus exposed, 
lining the cavities even to their extremities. The shapes assumed 
by the different species of Polyporet are truly Protean, but the 
greater number have the regular stipa or stem surmounted by a 
pileus as seen in the Agaracini, and vary principally in size, mode 
of growth and consistence. The last trait is of especial importance, 
and leads us from the soft juicy Boletus eduiis, through the leathery 
species such as Polyporus squamosus, of which Mr. Hussey remarked, 
that ‘“ One might as well eat saddle flaps,” until at length we arrive 
at our own Polyporus Australis, which is almost as hard as wood. 
To sum up, Polyport are distinguished by the hymenium lining 
pores on the under-side of the pileus, the hymenium itself bearing 
basidia, from the extremity of each of which project four naked 
spores each on a slender ster rigma. Further Polypore: always grow 
‘above ground, either on soil or on stumps, fallen logs, ete., and derive 
their Homishment from these by means of an assemblage of long 
slender, white roots, called mycelium. I ought to explain that the 
my celium has, in conjunction with the spore another important 
office, for it is from it that the young fungus springs. 
Turning our attention to the Tuberace’ we find a subterranean 
tuber, not unlike a potato, apparently without stem, pileus, mycelium 
or anything else in common with the last order; in fact, the whole 
plant may be said to be self-contained, for itis surrounded by an outer 
skin or peridium, and inside it consists of a mass of hymenium, 
sometimes soft and fleshy as in Tuber estivum, the well known truffle, 
for which enormons prices are frequently paid j in Europe, sometimes 
hard and horny as in Mylitta Australis. But the greatest difference 
between the two families is the way in which the spores are produced; 
in Polypore’, I have shown that they are naked bodies borne on 
basidia, whereas in Tuberaceé the spores are enclosed in small cells 
