Coprophilous Fungi . 327 
been discussed at pp. 319-321, and it may simply be remarked here 
that structurally it is to be considered as a Ryparobius containing as a 
rule only a single very large ascus, but sometimes varying with 2-3, or 
even 5 asci. Zukal ( 1 . c.) identified the present species as the Thelebolus 
sfercoreus of Tode (Fungi Mecklenb. select.* fasc. 1, 41 (1790)), and 
this determination has been followed by other authors. A comparison, 
however, of the characters given by Tode ( 1 . c.) with those of the 
present plant quite precludes, in our opinion, the supposition that the 
two plants are identical; e.g. Tode specially characterizes his species 
as being of a bright yellow colour, the words ‘ croceus ' and ‘ aureus 5 
being used. Saccardo (Syll. Fung, x, 34), adopting the name 
Thelebolus stercoreus , Tode, for Zukal’s plant, places the genus among 
the Ascomycetes ; it is to be noted, however, that Thelebolus terrestris , 
Alb. and Schw., is a true Gasteromycete. 
T. nanus was separated from T. siercoreus by Heimerl on account 
of its smaller size, but in examining a large series of growing T. 
stercoreus it becomes clearly evident that T. nanus is nothing more 
than a small form, as a complete series of intermediates can be found 
growing together. T. nanus has already been recorded as British by 
Smith (36). 
Associated with normal specimens of T. stercoreus (on rabbit-dung, 
Kew) we met with a Fungus quite similar to that described as Ascozonus 
oligoascus by Heimerl (17), except that in our plant we were not 
able to observe the * elongate-clavate ’ yellow hairs which, according 
to Heimerl, crown the young apothecia. Our Fungus, which is repre- 
sented at Fig. 45 (cf. Heimerl, 1 . c., Fig. 1, a), appeared to be nothing 
more than the form of T. stercoreus containing 2-3 asci. 
Ryparobius ascophanoid.es, Sacc. (Figs. 33-34). 
Ascophanus ryparobioides, Heimerl, Oesterr. Ascob., 22, f. xi (1889). 
Ryparobius ascophanoides, Sacc. Syll. Fung, x, 33 (1892); Rehm, in 
Rabenh. Krypt.-Fl. DeutschL, Bd. i, Abth. 3, 1101 (1896). 
Scattered, very minute, J-J mm., white, almost hyaline when moist, 
sessile on a broad base, disk slightly concave, glabrous ; asci few, 6-8, 
broadly clavate, 160 x 60 /1, 32-spored; spores elliptic, ends obtuse, 
smooth, 15-16x8-9 fx; paraphyses filiform, apex not thickened, 
septate, about 2 ft thick. 
Hah . — On rabbit-dung, Kew. (Distrib. — Austria, on Deer’s dung.) 
Allied to R. sexdecimsporus (Cr.), Bond., differing in the broadly 
clavate asci, containing thirty-two spores. The above measurements 
