ON MIMICRY IN FUNGI. 
9 
which the odours of fungi are indicated the subjoined extracts 
from the Handbook will be useful. 
Hypogaei (20 species). Odours noticed in eight species as 
under : — 
1045* The smell is just like the pungent odour of some Ichneumon 
or small bee. 
1046 The smell was slight. 
1048 Abominable smell, which resembles that of assafsetida. 
1050 Smell at first like of that of some Hypericum , then exactly 
that of a decaying puff-ball. 
1052 The smell is very much like that of 1048 when old, but when 
young it has an acid smell like that of sour ham. 
1054 Smell very slight. 
1060 Smell like that of Lactarius iheiogalus. 
1061 Smell like that of Lad. theiogalus. 
Tuberacei (27 species). Odour noticed in fifteen species : — 
2237 Odour strongly alliaceous. 
2238 Odour bituminous and very strong of horse radish. 
2239 Odour faintly aromatic. 
2241 Smell at length rather disagreeable. 
2242 The odour is said by Vittadini to be strong and nauseous. 
2243 Odour, when recent, nauseous. 
2244 Odour of the radish. 
2245 With little odour. 
' 2246 Had a very strong odour. 
2248 Smell in some specimens like that of an agaric, in others 
strong and nauseous. 
2249 Has a strong smell like that of rotting seaweed. 
2251 The smell is very strong and disagreeable, resembling that 
of 1048. 
2255 Smell strong. 
2258 Odour faint not peculiar. 
2259 The smell is very powerful. 
No mention is made of the smell of Tuber cestivum, which is very 
peculiar and penetrating, especially after it has been kept in a close 
atmosphere for a few hours. 
The above list contains several examples of fungi, mimick- 
ing the odours of various substances, such as sour ham, 
radishes, assafaetida, insects and the like. The question naturally 
presents itself, of what use can these odours be to the fungi ? 
These subterranean species are protected by the mode of growth 
from many accidents to which other fungi are liable, yet 
they are at a considerable disadvantage on the score of spore dis- 
semination. It is quite true that many of them are not absolutely 
subterranean throughout the whole course of their existence, but 
for every single individual found above ground at least a score are 
* The numbers are those of the species in Cooke’s “ Handbook of British 
Fnngi,” p. 355 to 363 and p. 738 to 750. 
