NOTABLE PHENOMENA. 109 
were amusing themselves with some luminous object, which at 
first he supposed to be a kind of large fire-fly, but on making 
inquiry he found it to be a beautiful phosphorescent Agaric, 
which he was told grew abundantly in the neighbourhood on 
the decaying fronds of a dwarf palm. The whole plant gives 
out at night a bright light somewhat similar to that emitted 
by the larger fire-flies, having a pale greenish hue. From this 
circumstance, and from growing on a palm, it was called by the 
inhabitants ‘‘ for de coco.” * 
The number of recognized phosphorescent species of Agaricus 
is not large, although two or three others may be enumerated 
in addition to those cited by Tulasne. Of these, Agaricus 
lampas, and some others, are found in Australia.t In addition 
to the Agaricus noctileucus, discovered by Gaudichand, and the 
Agaricus igneus of Rumphius, found in Amboyna, Dr. Hooker 
speaks of the phenomenon as common in Sikkim, but he seems 
never to have been able to ascertain with what species it was 
associated. 
Dr. Cuthbert Collingwood has communicated some further 
information relative to the luminosity of a species of Agaricus 
in Borneo (supposed to be A. Gardneri), in which he says, 
“The night being dark, the fungi could be very distinctly seen, 
though not at any great distance, shining with a soft pale 
greenish light. Here and there spots of much more intense 
light were visible, and these proved to be very young and 
minute specimens. The older specimens may more properly 
be described as possessing a greenish luminous glow, like the 
glow of the electric discharge, which, however, was quite suf- 
ficient to define its shape, and, when closely examined, the chief 
details of its form and appearance. The Inminosity did not 
impart itself to the hand, and did not appear to be affected by 
the separation from the root on which it grew, at least not for 
some hours. I think it probable that the mycelium of this 
{fungus is also laminous, for, upon turning up the ground in 
search of small luminous worms, minute spots of light were 
* In ‘* Hooker's Journal of Botany ” (1840), vol. ii. p. 426, 
+ Berkeley, ‘‘Introduction to Crypt. Bot.” t, 265. 
