FUNGI. 187 



declared that the theory of the nature of the spiritual world in- 

 volved in the story is true. Now I hold that this theory is false, 

 that it is a monstrous and mischievous fiction ; and I unhesitat- 

 ingly express my disbelief in any assertion that it is true, by 

 whomsoever made. So that, if Dr. Wace is right in his belief, he 

 is also quite right in classing me among the people he calls " infi- 

 dels " ; and although I can not fulfill the eccentric expectation of 

 the Bishop of Peterborough, that I shall glory in a title which, 

 from my point of view, it would be simply silly to adopt, I cer- 

 tainly shall rejoice not to be reckoned among the bishop's " us 

 Christians " so long as the profession of belief in such stories as 

 the Gadarene pig affair, on the strength of a tradition of unknown 

 origin, of which two discrepant reports, also of unknown origin, 

 alone remain, forms any part of the Christian faith. And, al- 

 though I have, more than once, repudiated the gift of prophecy, 

 yet I think I may venture to express the anticipation, that if 

 " Christians " generally are going to follow the line taken by the 

 Bishop of Peterborough and Dr. Wace, it will not be long before 

 all men of common sense qualify for a place among the " infidels." 

 — Nineteenth Century. 



FUNGI. 



I. — TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS.* 

 By T. H. McBEIDE, 



PROFESSOR OF BOTANY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. 



THE fungi as a class may hardly be called popular. For va- 

 rious reasons they are, so to speak, under a cloud. They are 

 little known, and so in lieu of better information the legend " poi- 

 son " seems to run for all the finer and more showy species. If 

 not held absolutely poisonous, most are at least considered useless 

 and are nameless. Literature, the all-embracing, which concerns 

 itself freely with other forms of animate nature, draws a line at 

 the fungi ; and Browning evinces great boldness when he ventures 

 to touch with the wand of his poesy " the freaked, fawn-colored, 

 flaky crew " that rises in November hours. 



Worse than all this, thanks to the imperfect knowledge of days 

 not long gone by, the very word fungus is uncanny, and to most 

 minds of vague, uncertain application, suggestive of things unpleas- 

 ant, not to say direful. For what, forsooth, is a fungus ? A wily 

 invader which, having by some unguarded entrance gained access, 

 may do all sorts of mischief ; may fill our cellar, for instance, and 

 turn us out of house and home, as one is reputed to have filled the 



* Illustrations from drawings bv M. F. Linder and the author. 



