8 Massee. — A Monograph of 
In the Gastromycetes these two conditions are present in 
the lowest forms, and persist throughout the group, the very 
varied forms presented by the different orders being the out- 
come of modifications of the sporophore in connection with 
spore-dissemination. The most prominent types will be 
described later on. 
It is interesting to note that so long as spore-dissemination 
depends on physical causes, as in the Hymenogastreae, Sclero- 
dermeae, Lycoperdineae, and Nidularieae, the plants are 
devoid of bright colours, dirty ochre being the most general 
tint, whereas in the Phalloideae where the dispersion of the 
spores depends mainly on the visits of insects, more especially 
dipterous forms, food is provided in the form of mucus formed 
by the diffluent hyphae of the hymenial layer, its whereabouts 
being indicated as in Phanerogams by the usual advertise- 
ments, smell and colour, the former being in most cases very 
pronounced, the latter usually some shade of red, varying 
from deep rose to orange-vermilion. It must not be inferred 
from the above statement that scent or colour perform the 
same function for all fungi possessing them. The brilliant 
colours and varied scents of many of the Hymenomycetes are 
so far as is known of no direct service to their possessors, and 
certainly not in connection with spore-dissemination. 
Hymenogastreae, The most pronounced features of the 
present group are, (i) subterranean habit, (2) total absence of 
capillitium, (3) gleba not becoming resolved into a powdery 
mass when mature, (4) indehiscent peridium. 
The usually copious mycelium often forms fleecy masses 
spreading amongst vegetable humus at a distance of one or 
two inches below the surface, and in the genera Melanogaster 
and Rhizcpogon more especially forms irregularly branched or 
anastomosing cord-like strands, which give origin to sporo- 
phores at various points ; hence it is not unusual to meet with 
clusters of plants of different sizes attached to the spreading 
mycelium, as in Ithyphallus impndicns. Most species grow 
under trees, and several have only been met with in close 
proximity to certain kinds of trees, which suggests the proba- 
