proceedings of societies. 47 
well as in several of the boleti, the reproduction and cicatrising of displaced and 
wounded parts are very surprising. 
In the month of September, in Cromaglouin wood, I noticed the beauty of Poly- 
porus lucidus, as it grew in ranges along the trunk of a large ash, which, in a dell 
of most luxuriant vegetation, had fallen and rested on huge boulders of rock. 
Here, amid a mass of vegetation of the liveliest green, and where the dense foliage 
overhead shaded and preserved a moist and warm temperature, the bright chesnut- 
coloured pileus of Polyporus lucidus appeared strikingly beautiful. It was, indeed, 
a spot genial to fungus vegetation, and reminded me of those primeval forests of 
the tropics, which humidity never abandons, and which the arches of foliage rarely 
permit a ray of the sun to penetrate. It is of much interest to watch the develop¬ 
ment of fungi, agamous plants without epidermis, and consequently destitute of 
stomata—their reproduction is singular and rapid. I had placed a fine specimen 
of Daedalia biennis in my fernery on the spreading mass of a lichen (Placodium 
plumbeum), and I was surprised in a few weeks to find that a plant of Daedalia had 
formed upon the lichen. This Dsedalia is very beautiful, and richly marked with 
concentric zones; the hymenium is large and fleshy, of a pinkish red tinge, and 
wavy or sinuous. The Dsedalia quercina, whieh is a more common species, is of 
a delicately fibrous texture, and when cut into slices has been used as a styptic. 
Some time since I submitted to the society large masses of Racodium cellare, 
mouse-skin byssus, which grew in quantities on claret casks that had long been 
stored in the Custom-house dock vaults. It especially formed and grew where the 
claret had leaked from the cask. This fungus is most valuable as a styptic. So 
suitable is the fernery to such vegetation that a beautiful species of Xylaria, 
Agaricus tuberosus, annually appears among Hymenophyllum and Trichomanes, 
and on a piece of oak wood Peziza aeruginosa displays its cup-shaped or turbinate 
pileus of a most beautiful verdigris green, which colour penetrates and stains deeply 
the wood. 
I shall only briefly mention a few others, as I propose drawing out a detailed 
list; among them several are extremely beautiful, as microscopic objects. Agaricus 
floccosus, a pretty species on the stump of an ash tree, Cromaglouin; Boletus 
luridus, and Amanita muscaria, both beautiful, but extremely poisonous, near the 
road side, leading to the tunnel; Clavaria cinerea, C. fragilis, and C: coralloides, 
frequent on Tore mountain, especially along the deer paths. These are considered 
delicious esculents, as also Hydnum repandum, which is abundant in Muckross 
wood, and of large size. • Its odour is like the common mushroom, but of very 
pungent taste before cooked. Hydnum imbricatum also occurs, but not so frequent 
as the other. In the woods of Muckross, bordering the lake, I met fine specimens 
of Agaricus gilvus and A. comatus. In the same wood also occurred Phallus 
impudicus, remarkable for its offensive odour. In the low grounds occurred Can- 
tharellus cibarius, a good esculent, and on several fallen trees Tremella ferruginea 
and T. intumescens, growing in large gelatinous masses. It is singular the force 
of expansion that these soft and gelatinous fungi possess in their growth, rupturing 
the hardest epidermis of the trees upon which they are parasitic. I have seen the 
Tremella mesenterica, which is frequent on the furze, bursting through the tough 
bark even of the living branches. This beautiful species is of a rich orange colour 
and of a soft texture. 
Mr. Andrews exhibited very large and fine specimens of Polyporus betulinus 
from the earliest stage of growth to full development, and beautiful specimens of 
Dsedalia biennis from Tore Wood, Killarney. 
Dr. Stokes asked how these fungi were reproduced beneath the bark. 
Mr. Andrews said that in the decaying state of the mature fungus, the sporules 
scattered on the substance of attachment, and might probably be absorbed, and the 
mycelia form beneath the epidermis. The same species of fungus were often 
annually produced upon the same tree. 
Professor R. W. Smith then read a paper on Enterolithes, in which he entered 
very fully into'the subject of Enterolithes, or the peculiar concretions found in the 
bodies of animals. He explained their growth and effect in animal life, and exhi¬ 
bited specimens of these concretions found in the horse, cow, and other animals. He 
also explained the origin of the term Bezoar, and the peculiar characters of the 
