252 
JOUENAL OF MAMMALOGY 
but on the surface of the soil, and still others at various depths beneath 
the surface. Occasionally they are found uncovered on the surface 
of bare soil but always beneath various trees. 
One of these plants of somewhat common occurrence (genus Melano- 
gaster) possesses an exceedingly powerful, spreading odor and is to be 
found growing among the leaves. It has the appearance of a small 
pulfball of a reddish or brownish color. The rats range far and wide 
for these plants during the season and when they find them they turn 
over the leaves and humus sifting it into a fine mulch in their efforts to 
secure the fungus. These, as in the previous cases, are eaten on the 
spot. Being of the consistency of a rubber ball they make a rather 
tough bite. In spite of the very strong odor, the plants are, to the 
human. taste, rather sweet and pleasant. 
Some of the species serving the purpose of food for the rats are very 
malodorous, others somewhat pleasant. There are two species widely 
divergent in size, appearance and genera {Hymenogaster and Hydnan- 
gium) which have the same relative odor resembling that of witch 
hazel. Both are much sought after in season. 
One of the remarkable facts established is that in each genus there 
is one species which stands out from the others in this matter of odor. 
It might be said that there is one species which represents the type of 
the genus because of its marked characteristic odor. This one species 
seems to be the most abundant one of the genus. The other species 
seem to have this character modified until the odor becomes almost 
negligible. Correspondingly their use by the rats decreases. 
There is one fungus (genus Hysterangium) which seems to stand 
above all others in some respects in its relation to the rats and I might 
add, to the person collecting it. It is in appearance like a little white 
puffball with a tough rubbery gleba usually of a green color. Its pre- 
dominant character is its exceedingly vile odor when mature. It is 
almost impossible to carry the plants in a collection, so offensive is this 
odor. Its habitat is among the leaves or slightly buried in the ground 
where it is easily accessible to the rodents. Where it is to be found the 
rats will pass by all other fungi to get it. I have seen the fragments 
of the white peridium scattered over considerable areas of the forest 
and excavations are to be found everywhere. The peridium seems to 
be rejected for the tough gristly interior portion. It is frequently to 
be noticed that many young plants are left, the rats taking only those 
which have fully matured. 
At Guadaloupe Mines I found an exceptional location where the 
humus beneath the oaks had accumulated to a depth of a foot or more. 
