Observations on Hirneola Auricula-judae Berk. 123 
As is well known the Jew’s ear fungus belongs to the Auricu- 
Iariaceas, a group of the Basidiomycetes characterized by trans¬ 
versely septate basidia arranged in a definite hymenium which 
becomes freely exposed during spore formation (9, 18). The struc¬ 
ture of the hymenium, of the basidia, and the formation of basidio- 
spores has been carefully described by Brefeld (3) and as my 
investigations agree exactly with his, I need not repeat what is well 
known. 
This fungus is of wide distribution, both in the tropical and 
temperate regions. It is of frequent occurence in the neighbour¬ 
hood of Cambridge. At a young stage it is little differentiated, 
and consists of cylindrical or roundish masses, several of these 
often gathered closely together and not infrequently connected at 
Fig. 1. Fig. 2. 
Fig. 1. Fructification of Hirneola Fig. 2. Groups of fructifications on 
auricula-juda imitatinga human ear. a dead twig of Elder. Nat. size. 
Nat. size. 
the base (Fig. 2). There is a tendency for the young fructifica¬ 
tions to assume a more or less vertical position; but later on they 
extend horizontally thus allowing the spores to fall more easily, in 
order to he carried away and be dispersed by the wind. The upper 
surface is hairy and brown with a tinge of green, but I have never 
observed olive green specimens as described by Brefeld (3). The 
lower surface containing the hymenium is of a deeper brown, some¬ 
times blackish, often folded in the manner of a human ear. Some 
