The Key 
spicuous fungi which bear their spores in transparent sacs (see 
first page of Key). 
The third contains all fungi which bear their spores on en- 
larged cells called basidia (see first page of Key). 
To even partially understand the inconspicuous fungi is a 
task impossible to one who is not familiar with the use of a com- 
pound microscope. To acquire a knowledge sufficiently accu- 
rate to identify nearly all of the conspicuous fungi is within the 
power of any intelligent person, for the two groups or classes 
containing the conspicuous species may be divided, on account 
of easily distinguished characters, into groups called orders. 
The orders may be divided into groups called fam#lies, and the: 
families into groups called genera (singular genus), and the 
genera into individual specimens called species; and all these 
groups may be arranged in such a way that the series of selec- 
tions may be quickly made. Such an arrangement of groups is 
called a key. 
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