WEAPONS OE ANIMALS. 
129 
In the genus Rhabdospora, Saccardo enumerates only 
eighty-six species, and in a rapid glance down the pages the 
attention is at once arrested by Rhabdospora incequalis, a 
name that seems exactly suited to describe the varying forms 
of the perithecia which were so puzzling. On looking below 
we find, in fact, that this very variation is given as character¬ 
istic of the species. The size of the spores is the same, the 
other points of the description are not inconsistent, and, 
most conclusive of all, the habitat is given as “ on smooth 
bark of Sorbus aucuparia .” 
But we have not quite exhausted the resources of civilisa¬ 
tion. This species was erected by Professor Saccardo himself 
in his “ Reliquiae Libertianae,” i.e., the descriptions of part of 
the vast collection of fungi left behind by the late famous 
mycologistess (excuse the word) of Malmedy, the indefatigable 
Madame Libert. Now it is well known that Saccardo, with 
that care and perfection of method which have raised him to 
his present fame, generally illustrates by figures the new 
species which he describes, and, on turning to the part 
(Series iv.) of the Reliquias in which this species is contained, 
we find a figure which to our great delight proves to be an 
excellent representation of the one we have been examining. 
“ Now my task is smoothly done.” No link in the chain 
is wanting. We have determined our fungus with a degree 
of certainty which cannot always be attained, and are still 
further rewarded by finding that it is a species new to 
Britain. Nor was this the only spoil brought back from 
that first spring walk, but time would fail to tell of all the 
others. 
ON THE WEAPONS OF ANIMALS.* 
BY F. T. MOTT, F.K.G.S. 
becomes one of the prime necessities of life. 
* Transactions of Section D of the Leicester Literary and 
Philosophical Society. Read February 18th, 1885. 
