Crossland and Xeedham: Fungus Flora of Hearthrug. 361 



Gibbs on old sacking- near Hathersage, Derbyshire. So far, it 

 is not known to have occurred upon anything- but manufactured 

 veg-etable fibre. 



In July the peculiar Onygena pilogena Fr. , which selects old 

 flannel, cast-out worsted stockings, etc., began to show itself 

 and developed many mature peridia. This grew on the cloth- 

 tabs exclusively, and speaks well for the quality of the cloth, 

 pronouncing it to be plus wool minus cotton ; the family 

 Onygena being addicted to animal substances only. The jute 

 remained quite free. This species was found in Pecket Wood 

 on an old felt hat the same }'ear and again in April i8g8. It 

 also reappeared in July 1898 on the then far-gone clothtabs. 

 The only other place in our parish where we have seen it was 

 on an old worsted stocking on rubbish heap, Barkisland, nine or 

 ten miles away. 



A fourth Discomycete — Orbilia vinosa (A. &S.) — came next. 

 It flourished equally well on all parts of the decaying rug. Like 

 a few of the others it exhibits a varied choice in habitat, and has 

 been seen to flourish on decaying wood, bark, old rope, leather; 

 now we can add cloth. On whatever it grows its production of 

 ascophores is very profuse. 



This concluded the first year's crop. 



In July 1898 a bright red mould, Oospora Crustacea Sacc. = 

 Torula sporendojienia Cke., was observed. This Hyphomycete 

 occurs on various decaying substances, including cheese, glue, 

 etc. We have seen it only on the rotting jute. 



In August a brick-red mould was noticed in small tufts on 

 diff"erent parts of the remaining undecomposed fragments of the 

 rug. This was found to be Gynmoascus Reesii Baran, belonging- 

 one of the lower groups of Ascomycetes. When examined 

 under a pocket lens it has all the appearance of a Hyphomycete. 

 It is a coprophile by nature. Another coprophile, Podospora 

 fimesida (Ces.&D.N.), made its appearance about the same 

 time. 



We fully expected Coprinus doniesttcus putting in an ap- 

 pearance either the first or second year, before the rug was 

 completely broken up, but it did not oblige. It was met with 

 on old sacking in a field corner in the next valley, Luddenden 

 Dean. 



It was rather remarkable that there should spring from the 

 debris two Agarics of the genus Hebeloma, one of which, H. 

 fastibile Fr. , we had not seen in our district before; the other, 

 H. mesophceum, had been met with in one other place only. 



1904 December i. 



