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AMERICAN NATURALIST. 
Vol. V.— AUGUST, 1871.—No. 6. 
eca CORRIDO 
THE STUDY OF MINUTE FUNGI. 
_BY DR. J. 8. BILLINGS, U.S.A. 
ee 
THERE are probably a number of microscopists, or, perhaps it 
would be better to say, possessors of microscopes in this country, 
who would gladly turn their attention to the minute Fungi, if they 
only knew how to begin, or could obtain any one book or treatise 
which would furnish the necessary guidance. As there is no such 
book in existence, the literature of Mycology being confused and 
scattered in the highest degree, it may be that a few words of 
advice as to the best mode of study of this subject will be of some 
interest. 
As a text for my remarks, I will take one of the commonest 
of the minute Fungi, which can be found everywhere and at all 
times of year, namely, Valsa stellulata Fr. The Valse form a 
genus of the great order Spheriacei, which in their various states 
comprise the majority of the black specks or dots which will be 
found upon almost all decaying wood, and dead twigs, leaves, and 
herbaceous stems. To obtain specimens, you need only step into 
the yard and examine minutely a few twigs, pieces of old board, 
or dead stems of flowers or weeds, on some of which you will be 
certain to find little black, shot-like bodies, varying in size, from 
that of a large pin’s head to a mere point hardly perceptible to the 
naked eye, while half an hour’s stroll in the woods, and an exami- 
nation of two or three decaying stumps or logs, and some of the 
Entered according to Act of in the year 1871, the PEABODY ACADEMY OF 
SCIENCE, in the Office of the Librarian of Gonorea a npor the 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. V. 21 i (823) 
