On the Fungi Groiuing in Mines. 49 



making the edge of the pileus uneven. The stem long, solid 

 and firm, the lamellae white and remote. I was so impressed 

 with its likeness to the agarics, which I found on the 

 decayed hyphomycetes in No. G level, that I went back to 

 compare them, but the colour, general shape and mode of 

 growth are so diffei-ent that I am convinced they are a 

 separate species, though both evidently belong to the 

 genus Agaricus Mycen?e, as the spores are white, the form 

 campanulate, margin straight, and stem cartilaginous. In 

 No. 8 level I found some very poor half dried specimens 

 of an exceedingly curious fungus, no living ones could be 

 observed anywhere. Mr. Thomson has forwarded me some 

 since, and I have examined them minutely. They grow in 

 bunches, like wire grass, hanging down from the cross beams 

 as long branched fibres. The stems are solid, varying from 

 I inch in diameter to mere threads. The cross section is 

 nearly circular, flattening sliglitly where the stem branches, 

 which it invariably does dichotomously. The mode of 

 branching is peculiar ; the stem becomes thicker and flatter, 

 then stops short, and the twin branches sprout from each 

 side, widening abruptly. The substance of the plant, as 

 revealed by the microscope, is floccose, the flne hairs being 

 closely pressed together. A thick, very dark purple bark 

 surrounds the stem, this becomes brittle when dry, and 

 sometimes scales ofl! At the tips of the branches the bark 

 ceases, and a light coloured fleshy substance appears ; this 

 is quite white in the living plant, and is crowded with tiny 

 spores, fastened like bunches of black grapes. The form of 

 this fungus seems to me to bring the algse and fungi into 

 very close relationship ; it looks exactly like seaweed, as it 

 hangs from the roof, floating loosely in the air. 



Some years ago m}^ attention was drawn by a miner to 

 an extraordinary vegetable production growing in No. 3 

 level, at the base of some rotten slabs ; being anxious to 

 watch its growth, I would not remove it, and I determined 

 to copy it in situ. I obtained four candles, placed them on 

 the ground with the flames touching, then I lay down at 

 full length on the dry floor of the drive, and after a couple 

 of visits, obtained a faithful, if not artistic cop}' of the 

 fungus. The main portion of the plant was stilf^ I might 

 say leathery, and this was crossed by girdles made of fine 

 white silky hairs, each of these hairs was dotted all round 

 with spores. I visited the mine several times to examine 

 the fungus, and as it seemed to retain its original form, I at 



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