37 
The most of the species of the family are known as coprophilous 
(occurring on the dung of animals) fungi, but a few occur on 
other substrata, one occurring commonly on burnt ground, 
one on clay soil, one on old sacking oan coarse building paper 
when kept moist, and one species has been recently collected in 
Colorado on the weathered surface of old wood. 
It is claimed that the spores of many of the species must pass 
through the alimentary canal of the animal body before they will 
germinate and grow. Many experiments have been conducted 
in order to simulate the stimuli which the spores would thus 
receive, which experiments have been claimed to be more or less 
successful. 
This group of fungi is also of interest to morphologists since 
some of the species show sexual reproduction. Mr. Dodge, in 
addition to his work on the monograph of this group of plants, 
has also worked out some very interesting data with reference to 
the morphology and the stimuli necessary to the germination 
of the spores which will be published at some later time. 
r. W. A. Murrill introduced the subject of the gill-fungi of 
Neh America to which he has been devoting considerable 
attention, and briefly described a recent trip to Europe made for 
the purpose of examining type material, an account of which 
will appear in the Journay for March. The first of a series of 
articles upon these fungi was published in the January number of 
Mycotoata, the article being based upon original studies of 
fresh specimens in Cuba, Jamaica, and Mexico, supplemented by 
large collections obtained in many parts of tropical America by 
Britton, Earle, Underwood, Shafer, Wilson, Brace, M. E. Peck, 
Small, Harris, C. L. Smith, Broadway, Williams, Howe, Duss, 
Wright, Mrs. Britton, Mrs. Earle, Miss Marble and others. 
FreD J. SEAVER. 
NOTES, NEWS AND COMMENT. 
Dr. J. K. Small, head curator of the museums, left recently 
for a collecting trip in southern Florida. 
Dr. B. F. Lutman, of the Vermont Agricultural Experiment 
Station, visited the Garden on January 3. 
