116 OF THE FUNGI. 



landlord knows to his cost, crumbles into dust under the 

 influence of ' dry rot ' (Merulius lacrymans). Our bread, 

 our cheese, our ink, and an infinite number of similar 

 household matters — only let the conditions be favourable 

 — are quickly overrun with the delicate Fungi, which, in 

 common language, are grouped under the name of ' mould ' 

 (Mucoraceae and Botrytacese). A stroll in the garden, or 

 a walk through a field, shows us how readily our flowers 

 and cereals succumb to the insidious growth of 'smut 4 

 and ' brand ' (Uredinacese). Nor are the members of the 

 animal kingdom one whit more exempt from the assaults 

 of the common enemy ; while Empusina fixes itself on the 

 common house-fly, and Torrubia on a caterpillar,* Muscar- 

 dine is the name of a so-called disease which destroys myriads 

 of silkworms in sunny Italy, and which is in fact nothing 

 but the mycelium of a Fungus (Botrytis bassiana), growing 

 within their bodies and consuming their vital powers. 



The most favourable situations, however, for the de- 

 velopment of the Fungi are undoubtedly those where 

 a moderate degree of dampness is united with an equable 

 and not too high temperature. Hence forests and woods 

 are certain to provide the collector with abundant material, 

 since they are rich in the elements most needed for the 

 production of Fungal life ; viz. organic substances in a state 

 of decay, shelter from cold biting winds, shade, and 

 moisture. For like reasons, old thick hedges, not too 

 much exposed to the sun, often abound in crimson Peziza?, 

 orange Tremellge, and the curious nest-like NidulariaB. 

 Warm rains also in the autumn are favourable to the 

 growth of this class, so that it is not an unusual thing to 

 see astonishing quantities of mushrooms in the fruiterers' 

 shops, or to come across gigantic puff-balls and boleti in 

 the woods, at that time of year, when they have been 

 quite scarce during the hot summer months. Not that 

 the germs depend for their growth on any particular 



* On Plates xvm. xix. (96, 97) are given several examples of 

 this singular parasite. 



