lo8 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



than the natural beechwood and without its fibre. They seemed to 

 have grown from exudations of beechen sap, from wounded but- 

 tresses, or above-ground roots of the trees to which they were 

 attached, the trees themselves still growing and thriving. 



Among the various species of fungi found in Canadian forests, 

 one appears on decaying, prostrate tree trunks in moist summer 

 weather having a gelatinous or soft leathery appearance, looking like 

 tripe, and in masses that would often more than fill an ordinary 

 pail. Stray horned cattle search for them and devour them with 

 great eagerness. 



Another interesting species, the edible morel, which used to be 

 found in considerable abundance about the roots of rock-elm trees 

 that had been killed by the woodman's process of girdling, were 

 only to be found during the last half of the month of May, and only 

 in the early stages of the decay of the tree under which they grew, 

 as if favored as to growth conditions by the decomposed sap in the 

 roots of the tree. They are yet occasionally found about the roots 

 ot apple trees in old orchards, and especially about trees that show 

 signs of decadence and of having seen better days. These morels 

 are carefully gathered, when found by knowing ones, are quite whole- 

 some, and when properly dished up are a real delicacy, and are 

 justly relished by epicures. 



A relative of the toadstools, less welcomed when met with, is 

 sometimes discovered among the rank grass around old fences in 

 the autumnal months, its proximity being sometimes made known 

 by the number of buzzing flies, attracted to the mephitic production 

 by its powerful putrescent odor ; it is known as the Phallus. It 

 resembles the toadstools in its mode of growth, but the pileus or 

 cap is very much the shape of the old candle extinguisher. 



A peculiar effect was noticeable in the fall of 1889, so peculiar 

 for its long succession of clear sunny days, in the tinting, with red 

 or maroon, of the usually white flowers of Eupatorium perfoliatum. 

 A large proportion of its white cymes assumed these hues towards 

 the end of September or beginning of October, and the fact attracted 

 our attention that such specimens as were found growing in the 

 shade of woods, as a rule had been able to preserve the whiteness 



