6 



large patches of Polytriclmm commune were killed by a fungus, 

 probably a Mucor-\ike organism, which grew like a white mat, 

 smothering the moss turf, and causing the plants to die rapidly 

 and turn brown. Just what the action of the fungus is, remains 

 to be elucidated by investigation, but it seems probable that it 

 kills the moss chiefly by cutting it off from the air. 



Similarly a clump of Dicranum scopariitm and a few neighbor- 

 ing plants of Polytrichum Ohioense were observed near Hyannis, 

 Mass., to be attacked by a myxomycete. Some of these low 

 forms creep up upon living plants before sporulation takes place. 

 In this instance death of the capsules was induced with some 

 amount of distortion. The materials promise interest on further 

 study, it being of importance to determine whether in this matter 

 the myxomycete is purely or rather superficially epiphytic, or 

 whether it in some way attacks the deeper-lying tissues. The 

 latter, judging from our present knowledge, is improbable. 



Hypomyccs. — It is worth mention that the well-known fungus 

 Hypomyces Lactifluorum, parastic on Lactarius, is able to propel 

 its spores to a distance of I y 2 inches or more. This was deter- 

 mined in the usual fashion of obtaining a spore print. The amount 

 of spore dust obtained in this way is quite surprising. 



Having used the dried commercial material of the truffle for 

 anatomical work, I was led to cut into small strips an affected 

 plant of Lactarius. The pieces were dried, and then used dry for 

 sectioning by free hand. Lycoperdon was treated similarly, with 

 the result that when the curled dry sections are mounted for micro- 

 scopic examination they are quite satisfactory for ordinary work. 



In this way, therefore, the collector may preserve material for 

 anatomical use quite successfully with little trouble. 



SHORTER NOTES 



Leaves of the Skunk Cabbage. — Last July I was much 

 impressed by the size of some leaves of the skunk cabbage grow- 

 ing on Long Island near the College Point water-works. The 

 largest leaf measured 26 z / 2 inches long by ig*4 broad. Is there 

 record of any larger ? A. J. Grout. 



360 I, Knox Road, 

 Brooklyn, N. Y. 



