2 
FETCH : 
The specimens figured on Plate I. were all taken from 
stumps of trees in situ. The one in figure A shows the 
vertical grain of the wood, though somewhat obscurely. It is 
viewed from the inner face, which is irregular, owing to the 
decay of the matrix to different depths. The ridges which 
project laterally inwards towards the centre of the figure 
indicate the different annual rings of the tree, the two which 
approximate to each other from right and left, respectively, 
being parts of the same annual ring. 
The faces shown in the more regular specimens of figure B 
exhibit the radial longitudinal section of the original wood, 
and are slightly vertically grooved owing to the somewhat 
greater decay of the wood along the zones which contain the 
large vessels. The top and bottom surfaces of these, which 
correspond with the cross section of the original tree, also 
show these grooves, and, in addition, minute parallel grooves 
at right angles to these, indicating a slightly greater dis- 
integration along the medullary rays. 
Figure C of the same plate shows a larger specimen viewed 
from above. It shows well-marked zones which correspond 
with the annual rings of the wood, and faint radial grooves 
corresponding with the medullary rays. Figure T> shows the 
outer face, i.e., the upper in figure C of the same specimen. 
The exterior of these masses is always red-brown. The 
largest I have seen weighed 380 grams when dry (air-dry). 
When split open they split along the grain of the wood, and 
at first sight appear to consist of normal unchanged wood, 
but a microscopic examination reveals the fact that all the 
elements of the wood are filled with mycelium. 
These masses have since been observed on many occasions, 
and it would appear that they are a normal production in the 
case of this Lentinns, Lentinus similis B. & Br., which is 
usually found on decaying stumps in situ. Their formation 
may be explained as follows. The mycelium of the Lentinus 
attacks and destroys the dead wood, but several portions are 
left more or less unchanged. When the decayed tissue 
weathers away, these portions are left embedded in the soil or 
are washed out by the rain and lie free on the surface. They 
are filled with a storage form of mycelium, and subsequently 
