538 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST 



[Vol. XLI 



Some have suggested that this fungus is one which is found in the 

 neighborhood of the nests on decaying wood and that it is introduced 

 into the nest accidentally by the termites, but in an extensive investi- 

 gation of the fungi of Ceylon in which large quantities of dead wood 

 passed through his hands, Fetch was never able to find any form at 

 all similar to that in the nests. 



Occasionally an agaric also develops from the comb. This species 

 is the chief edible form of Ceylon and so generally is it esteemed that 

 it is difficult to obtain perfect s])eeimens, for the natives who collect 

 them for food do not secure the long stipe intact and unfortunately 

 they do not overlook many examples. This fungus has never been 

 foiiiid oTowiiig from th<' li'ill ilsrir l)iit is always proihuv.l frotn the 

 undergrouiKl porlioiis of ihc nest. Tlie conih I'roiu wliich it develops 



specimens w(>r(> found to grow from combs nearer the surface. The 

 connection of the agaric with the hyphte described above has not been 

 demonstrated. Efforts to germinate the spores or to grow the sphere- 

 producing mycelium froni the tissue of the agaric have proven unsuc- 

 cessful. It is not improbable, however, that they are stages of the 

 same species. At first the agaric forms brownish-white, soiiiewliat 



