8 AKT. 3. — SelICHI KAWAMUEA : 



the fungus light, when examined under the microscope, is absorbed 

 in passing through the lenses of even a low power. Under the 

 microscope of sufficiently strong power to resolve the exact configura- 

 tion of the cells, the optical field is quite dark. Accordingly, I had 

 to take recourse to the following method of observation. Selecting 

 one of the largest specimens, the gills were cut in the thickest 

 part parallel to the surface of pileus. The section was found to 

 be uniformly luminous in all parts, verifying in a rough way the 

 fact that both hymenium and trama are luminous. In large 

 specimens the gills are very thick, measuring from 1*0 to 1*5 mm. 

 across. Some of the thickest gills were cut into pieces about one 

 cm. square, and these were sliced off on both sides with a sharp 

 razor so as to leave the middle parts only. The pieces were still 

 luminous. They were then chopped into smaller pieces, which on 

 microscopical examination by the aid of lamp-light, proved to 

 consist of trama cells, quite in exclusion of hymenium cells, such 

 as basidia and spores. 



Next, in order to ascertain whether the basidia and spores 

 were luminous or not, the surface of gills was gently grazed with 

 a razor. The small quantity of tissues thus collected on the razor 

 edge appeared white in lamp-light and was luminous in the dark, 

 presenting a thin line of feeble light along the edge. This lasted 

 for a considerable length of time. In the scraping on the razor I 

 have found under the microscope numerous separated basidia and 

 spores. It was evident therefrom that not only the trama but 

 also the hymenia have luminosity. It still remained not clear 

 whether it was basidia or spores, or both, that emitted light, 

 since both were found mixed together in the preparations. To 

 obtain light on this point, a fresh fungus was placed upside down 

 on a glass plate for several hours, till numberless spores have 

 fallen and accumulated on the plate. The spores thus gathered 



