On the Fungi Grov:iiirj in Mines. 43 



and unused tunnels this timber is covered with funfjoid 

 growths. Alasses of white silk}^ hyphomycetes hang from 

 the roof, shaped like stalactites, and often reach four or 

 five feet in length. The timber used in the mine consists 

 chiefly of Eucalyptus Siel^eriana, E. Capitellata, E. Obliqua, 

 E. Amygdalina, E. Viminalis; the first of these, E. Sieberiana, 

 is by far the best ; it lasts many years. It is remarkable to 

 see the great varieties of colours assumed by the fungi in the 

 mines, when we consider that they never receive any light 

 from the sun. White is certainly the prevailing hue, but 

 black, red, scarlet, delicate pink, and all shades of brown 

 and yellow, are quite common. An instance of the rapidity 

 of growth of this vegetable product, came under my notice 

 whilst in Wallialla. The manager had occasion to have a 

 plat cleared of timber and well scraped at 12 o'clock 

 midnight, at 6 next morning he was astounded at finding 

 the whole plat covered with fungi. He immediately sent for 

 me, and I found that not only were they fully grown, but the 

 spores perfectly ripe. It was an Agaricus (Psathyrella). 

 Berkeley gives wonderful instances of the rapid growth of 

 fungi, and Dr. Lindley says that the cells of the Lycoperdon 

 giganteum multiply at the extraordinary rate of 60,000 

 million in a minute. The growth of fungi, even when 

 deprived of light is exemplified by Dr. Badham's story 

 of a gentleman placing a cask of wine in a cellar by itself for 

 three years ; the cask leaked ; a fungus sprung up, and gTew 

 to such a size that when the cellar was opened it was com- 

 pletely filled by this winebibbing vegetable, the empty cask 

 was found on the top of the fungus, pressed closely against 

 the roof. Dr. Carpenter mentions that the paving stones in 

 the town of Basingstoke were completely lifted out of their 

 places by the growth of Agarics underneath. The most 

 noticeable plant in the mine is the Hyphomycetes already 

 mentioned ; it hangs down from the roof, sometimes by a 

 narrow stem formed of loose fibres, then swells out very 

 much, finally tapering towards the end. It is entirely 

 composed of very fine silky fibres, interwoven so as to form 

 a kind of fleece. So watery are these fungi that, having 

 dried one five feet lono' and eighteen inches in diameter, it 

 just weighed one ounce. On submitting a piece to the 

 microscope, very small transparent cells may be perceived 

 fastened hke tiny nobs on the hairs, these are the spores, 

 and they fall off in such quantities that the air is quite 

 full of them ; I feel convinced that the stifling suffocating 



