30 
THE I.AKGHK EL' KG I 
Tin" utlu'i' $pecies tliat glows in ring formation is a white puffball. Lyropeftlot 
dcpreasum Bonorden. In this, the mycelium does not lead to a bare zone, but the 
many white puffballs growing from it amongst Hie grass have n very definite 
ring arrangement. 
In New South Wales, the Champignon ( Murasmius orearim Bolt.., Fr.) grows 
in ring formation, ns it does in Europe and New Zealand. The caps arc olmrae 
terised by their reassuming their original shape after being dried if they are 
placed in water. This species lias not yet been found in this State. 
Photoffrv.fik bit A. ,/mTc.y. 
Figure 2. — Ring formed by the Horse Mushroom. Pttalliotti nrvciisitt , at Kalangadoo. 
THE MECHANICAL FORCE EXERTED BY DEVELOPING FRUITING 
BODIES. 
The mechanical force exerted by the cells of living organisms when they absorb 
water as a result of osmotic action may be very great. This force may be mani- 
fested under unexpected circumstances. It is dangerous to allow a horse to have 
access to wheat in. grain, as the grains swallowed whole may absorb water in the 
stomach and lead to a fatal result. Wheat ships have been lost at sea through 
the bursting asundei of their planks or plates when sea-water has gained entrance 
to the hold anil the millions of grains have swollen. Dried peas may be used for 
disarticulating the sutures of tbe skulls of young mammals. Professor R. W. 
Chapman, of the University of Adelaide, has recently shown that a block of 
Phi us radutta Don. (F. insignia Douglas) wood grown in this State, and measuring 
.'if ins. x .'iius. ,\ -tins., placed under a tightening load of (iOlllbs,, and then sur- 
rounded as far as possible by water, imbibed this water to such an extent as to 
increase the load up to l,u20!bs., an increase of PliOlbs. In the same way, the 
cells of growing delicate looking fleshy fungi may absorb water and exert in the 
mass a very great leverage, sufficient to raise large stones. Thus, in 1830, at 
Busing Stoke, in England, a large paving stone, measuring 22 by 21in., and 
weighing s.'ilbs., which had been cemented down, was raised an inch and a half by 
the growth of two fleshy agarics under it; and Cooke in “British Fungi" mentions 
ft large hearthstone being forced up b\ a fungus growing undei it. Tim only 
parallel instance T know of in Australia was the firm earth floor of a hut. which 
had been down for several years, being broken by the growth of one of our 
higher fungi, which had probably been stimulated to develop a fruiting body by 
the percolation of rain-water to the underlying soil. 
