DISPERSION. 295 



him vulgare) were growing, sprinkled to the height of 

 six or eight inches with the ejected sporangia; and 

 this is a species in which the sporangia are attached 

 to the cup by an elastic cord, so that forcible ejection 

 is not a recognised means by which distribution is 

 affected. Yet no other explanation can be offered 

 for the occurrence of the sporangia on the surround- 

 ing grass. Another species (Sphcerobolus stellatus) 

 normally ruptures at the apex, and expels the 

 globose sporangium, like a cannon ball, but no 

 larger than a small pill into the air. Still more 

 minute, and in another section, the little mucor- 

 like fungus, which grows so profusely on cowdung, 

 ejects the little sporangia to an enormous distance, 

 in proportion to the size of the plant. We have 

 seen them covering the leaves of vines, and other 

 plants, in minute specks, like the dung of flies, at 

 an almost incredible distance from their source. 

 Although at first received with some doubt, C. B. 

 Plowright has affirmed that the spores of some 

 agarics do not simply fall from the hymenium, 

 but are ejected, in some manner not yet explained, 

 for three or four inches, not only in a line with, but 

 above the plane from whence they proceed. We 

 have since been able to corroborate the fact, in two 

 or three instances, but without succeeding in tracing 

 the cause, or being able to submit a reasonable 

 theory to account for the phenomenon. Inasmuch 



