230 
THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 
jP. — The propagation of mould is one of the most curious 
subjects in vegetable physiology. The seeds or germs of the 
future plants are supposed to be continually floating in the 
atmosphere^ and do not spring up till a suitable degree of 
heat and moisture developes their vegetative power. 
C. — The Puff-balls, so common in our pastures, are sin- 
gular things. 
F, — They do not look much like plants^, either when 
the inside is a soft green mud^ or when it is become ripe, 
and resembles a lump of fine sponge, dipped in a box of 
impalpable snuff. If these atoms of dust be the seeds of 
the plant, as is supposed, it is surprising to me that the 
land does not become completely covered with them, instead 
of being scattered, as they are, here and there, half a dozen 
on an acre. 
C. — Are they considered pernicious by agriculturists ? or 
is any effort ever made to check their increase ? 
F. — Not that I am aware of : our farmers here do not 
think them injurious, except inasmuch as they are useless 
encumbrances, and draw nourishment from the soil : t^e 
evil is not of sufficient extent to alarm the farmer's fears. 
I believe their presence is considered, with what truth I know 
not, an indication of land whose fertility has been exhaust- 
ed, as they do not infest the soil when in a high state of 
cultivation. 
C. — Here are two curious insects, with the fore wings 
black, with two orange bands, and very thick pectinate an- 
tennae : what are they ? 
F. — I have been puzzled by them myself ; having even 
doubted to which order they should be referred ; but further 
observation showed me that they are beetles, with flat and 
very flexible broad elytra (Lycus Reticulatus ) , I have 
found another species, of about the same size, one-third of 
an inch in length, and resembling it in every respect, except 
