THE FUNGUS FAMILY. 



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oval, oblong, banded, smooth, warted, or spinose. Fungi 

 are found in all parts of the world, but most abundantly in 

 moist places in temperate countries. The difference between 

 moulds, fungi, and some filamentous confervas, is not evident 

 to common observers, and in some cases it is supposed that 

 the same organisms assume the characters of either under 

 different influences; there is, however, one important dis- 

 tinction, viz., that fungi never grow in water like confervas, j 

 and are rarely green, being destitute of chlorophyl. 



The study of Fungi is termed Mycology. Of those pos- 

 sessing the greatest degree of development, as in agarics and 

 their allies, the principal parts are known by the following 

 special names. Mycelium^ common to all Fungi, consists of 

 hair, or thread-like filaments growing under, or upon the 

 surface of the ground or other bodies, and from which, under 

 favourable circumstances, perfect plants are produced. In 

 the common mushroom it is white and thread-like, and is 

 called " spawn," the perfect plant first appearing like small \ 

 round knobs, which, as they increase in size, are seen to be 

 covered with a membrane called the volva^ or veil ; this is 

 burst by the growth of the young mushroom which it con- 

 tains, the latter when full grown consisting of an umbrella- 

 like cap called the pileus, borne on a stalk (stipes). The 

 pileus as seen from below is composed of numerous lamellas 

 {hymenium), known as the gills, and in these the spore cases 

 (asci) are embedded. The Rev. M. J. Berkeley, the greatest 

 authority on this subject, estimates the number of species a* 

 about 4000, of which 2380 are natives of Britain. Many 

 are used for food, while many more are in the highest degree 

 poisonous. The common mushroom {Agaricus campestris) is 

 so well known that it is not necessary to describe it. It is 

 found abundantly in pastures during the summer and autumn 

 months. The horse mushroom (A. arvensis) is larger than 

 the preceding, some specimens being eighteen inches in 

 diameter. This species is largely used for making ketchup. ] 



Fairy Rings. — In autumn several species of fungi spring 

 up suddenly on grassy lawns, growing in rings of greater or 



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