FUNGI 



41 



Fig-, 18— A very common form ot small puff-ban. 



The one at the 



What a vast 

 number of spores 

 one of these 

 sends out! 



There is one 

 very curious 

 form of puff-bal 

 that always 

 interests the 

 class very much. 

 It is known as 

 the Geas ter 

 (earth star.) It 

 is a puflF-ball 

 with a great 

 collar around its 

 neck. When it 

 is dry the rays 

 of this collar 



right hand is discharging its spores. 



over the 



curl up tightly 



ball. (Fig. 19.) When 



moistened the rays of the collar 



swell up and turn out first, 



then down against the ground and 



raise the ball up as in Fig. 20. A 



dry Geaster placed in a dish of 



water will quickly take the form in 



Fig. 20, and may soon be given the 



form in Fig. 19 by drying. This 



process may be repeated many 



times on the same individual. 



Moulds lead the same life as do the mushrooms. As the 



whole course of their life can easily be observed the study 



of a mould is very interesting and makes the conception ot the 



life history of the large fungi clearer. 



Fig 19— A Geaster with its collar 

 turned up. 



