xii 
CONTENTS. 
and streams—Curious mode of propagation—Uses in the economy of 
nature—River Lemania—Water-flannel—Moor-balls—Zygnema with 
spiral structure—Oscillatoriz ; their remarkable diversity; curious 
movements and resemblances to animals—Algz in chemical infusions— 
Red Snow—Green snow—Gory-dew and associations—History of 
Blood prodigies—Primitive algaze—Nostoc—Rivularias—Batrachosper- 
mum—Botrydium and Vaucheria—General type of fresh-water alga 
everywhere the same—Diatoms or Brittleworts ; their universal diffu- 
sion in the atmosphere, waters, rocks, and soils; their geological 
history—Edible earths—Connexion with storms—Curious shapes—Ano- 
malous position in nature—Extraordinary method of propagation— 
Desmidias—Volvox globator—Motion everywhere, and the range of 
life almost illimitable, $ s : : F 
CHAPTER IV.—FUNGI. 
Autumn’s peculiar plants—Origin—Chemical properties—Luminosity— 
Insensibility to the influence of light—Rapidity of growth and brevity 
of existence—Simplicity of organization—Capacity of regeneration— 
Enormous development—Variety of consistence—Qualities—Colours 
and forms—IIlustrations of the curious shapes of Fungi—Description 
of structure and mode of propagation—Analysis of the classes and 
orders of British Fungi—Doctrine of spontaneous generation considered 
—Spores of Fungi in connexion with epidemic diseases—Geographical 
distribution— Ubiquitous habitats—Snow-moulds—Fungi on insects— 
Fly-disease—Silk-worm mould—Gold-fish disease—Mould protean in 
shape, and universal in distribution—Mycoderms of mucous and ulcer- 
ated surfaces—Fungi parasitic on man—Vinegar plant—Fungoid 
nature of Yeast—Uses of Fungi in nature and in human economy— 
Poisonous properties—Intoxicating Siberian Fungus—Edible Fungi— 
Morel—Truffle, etc.—Artificial propagation—Destructive effects— 
Cereal blights : smut, bunt mildew, rust, and ergot—Potato-murrain— 
Grape-disease—Black mildews—Dry rot—Means of obviating and 
removing Fungoid diseases—Fossil Fungi—Beauty and picturesque- 
ness of Fungi, ‘ i ; F . : ‘i 
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