6 
ON UNDERGKOUND FUNGI. 
and approaches that of assafoetida. It was known originally as the 
Musk Truffle. 
The species belonging to the second division, distinguished by the 
spores being naked and numerous, but most of them of small size, are 
merely of botanical interest, and may be distinguished as fahe Truffles. 
MeJanogaster and Rliizopogon are distinguished by the peridium being 
traversed by creeping branched fibres. The spores in the former 
are dark, in the latter hyaline. Though a species of Bhizopogon 
sometimes occurs abundantly in sandy soils, its odour in age 
becomes stercorous, and, perhaps in consequence, no one ventures 
upon it as an esculent. Many species of the genus Hymenogaster, 
which is without the creeping filaments, occur in this country, 
but most of them are small, and the larger species are by no 
means tempting. It is curious that in one or two species the spores, 
though really terminal, are found occasionally surrounded by a cyst, 
anticipating a structure which obtains in certain moulds. Octaviana 
and Hydnangium have sometimes rough, sometimes smooth, spores. 
One of the latter is remarkable for its orange colour and its almost 
superficial growth, as I have seen it in the neighbourhood of Bristol. 
As if no type was to be without its representative, we have the genus 
Hysterangium whose white cartilaginous peridium separates entirely 
from the fructifying substance, which resembles in colour that of a 
Phallus, and is inclined in age to become soft, though it does not run 
away, as in Phalloidece, into a loathsome mass. 
Those species of Hymenogaster which produce a cyst round the 
spores lead us to the genus Emlogoiie, in which, and in its exotic ally, we 
have essentially a subterraneous Mucor. It would scarcely be interesting 
to go into further details. The drawings submitted to the meeting will 
show the peculiarities of structure. We may remark, in conclusion, 
that, as at present known, we have twenty-six species of Truffles, 
nineteen of false Truffles,”and two of Endogone. 
Besides these, Tulasne has figured subterranean forms of a few 
Fungi, which have generally aerial growth. One or two of these, as 
the Saffron Fungus, which is so destructive to the Saffron Crocus and 
the Copper Web, which destroys Asparagus, Lucerne, and Mint, are 
too well known; but perfect fruit has at present not been detected in 
these species. Still less has it been found in the large Cocoa Nut 
Fungus, known under the name of Tuckahoo in the United States, 
which is really an altered state of certain roots, the whole substance 
being converted into pectic acid, and is used like that for jelly. The 
equally large masses called in Australia Native Bread, belonging to 
the genus Mylitta, have not been found with perfect fruit, but as far as 
it is at present known it belongs to the real Truffles. It is highly 
nutritious, and when dry so hard that it requires to be grated, and 
answers the purpose of Sago. In Italy large globular masses of earth 
impregnated with spawn are known under the name of Pietra Fungaya, 
and when moistened yield an esculent species of Polyporus. Specimens 
of the perfect Fungus were produced in this country at the Hammer- 
