22 



on them that it was impossible to perceive anythino- tliroug-h the 

 glass. Attempts were made to grow the spores in the woods on bread 

 cultures. These all failed, however. Iiecause of constant interference 

 on the part of inquisitive squirrels. 



The spores came off at intervals as if they were being discharged 

 by some force acting within the tubes. Pieces of the pileus were 

 accordingly turned over in a jar so that the tubes of the hymenium 

 pointed up. Glass slips were supported over the tubes overnight, and 

 on the following morning a few spores were found on them, but the 

 number was so small when compared with the large number discharged 

 from a similar piece laid with the pores pointing down, that it did 

 not seem probable that there was any very active discharge going on. 

 The spores were borne far away from the spot where they fell. Owing 

 to their exceedingly small weight, every disturbance in the air carried 

 them off. It was surprising to see how slight a disturbance sufficed. 

 The flame of a candle held near the sporophore remained perfectly 

 motionless while clouds of spores were swaying- to and fro under the 

 hymenial layers. The spores were sown in aqueous decoctions of 

 humus, but did not germinate. The facilities for doing more careful 

 work were not at hand in the woods, so experiments on the manner of 

 germination had to be left for a future time. 



At the time of ripening of the spores it was noticed that hundreds 

 of drops of a yellowish liquid were hanging from the hymenial sur- 

 faces every morning when the fungus in question was visited. Some 

 of these drops were carefully collected and were examined. In them 

 floated a number of spores and flocculent yellowish brown masses, 

 which stained yellow with nitric acid. These were present for several 

 days. Thereafter the liquid was almost clear except for numberless 

 spores which were in every drop. For three weeks the drops were 

 collected with a pipette during the day, and during the night a plate, 

 carefully protected against dew and rain, was placed under the fun- 

 gus. In this way about three-fifths of a pint (300'''') of liquid were 

 collected. This was poured into an open dish and put in a cool place, 

 where the w^ater was allowed to evaporate. A thick brown sirup was 

 left after some weeks, which had the odor of very impure molasses. 

 The sirup was transferred to a vial, which was corked and placed in a 

 warm place. In a few days delicate needle-shaped crystals shot out, 

 which upon examination proved to be melezitose and mycose, sugars 

 sometimes found in fungi. ^ 



At the same time that this secretion appeared on the hymenium, or 

 rather shortly afterwards, a number of small beetles began to devour 

 the hymenium with great avidity. So active were they that within 



^The writer is indebted to Dr. O. Loevv for the determination of these sugars. 



