reenish-yellow, then brownish-olive. The threads are long, simple, and
transparent. The columella is present and the spores are round and
minutely warted.

They are often found in abundance on decayed logs, old stumps, and on
the ground about stumps where the ground is especially full of decayed
wood. They are found from August to October.

_Lycoperdon cruciatum. Roth._

[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 467.--Lycoperdon cruciatum.]

Peridium broadly ovate, often much depressed, plicate underneath, with a
cord-like root; cortex a dense white coat of convergent spines, which at
maturity peel off in flakes, as can be seen in the photograph, revealing
a thin furfuraceous layer of minute yellowish scales covering the inner
peridium. The subgleba broad, occupying about one-third of the cavity.
The spores and capillitium are dark-brown. This species is very hard to
distinguish from Wrightii. It was once called _separans_ because of the
fact that the outer coat separates, or peels off, so readily from the
inner peridium. Found in open woods, or along paths in open woods or
pastures.

From July to October.

_Lycoperdon Wrightii. B. & C._

EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Figure 468.--Lycoperdon Wrightii. Natural size.]

The specific name is in honor of Charles Wright. The peridium is
globe-like, sessile, white, minutely spinulose, often converging at the
apex; when denuded, smooth or minutely velvety.

The spores and capillitium greenish-yellow, then brown-olive; the
columella present, but very small. Spores small, smooth, 3-4u.

The plants are very small, scarcely more than two cm. in diameter. They
are generally caespitose in short grass, along paths, and in sandy
places.

I have frequently seen the ground white with them on Cemetery Hill where
the specimens in Figure 468 were found. They were photographed by Dr.
Kellerman. Found from July to the last of October.

_Lycoperdon pyriforme. Schaeff._

THE PEAR-SHAPED PUFFBALL. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Plate LXII. Figure 469.--Lycoperdon pyriforme.

Natural size when young as seen growing on decayed wood. The sections
show they are in the edible state.]

Pyriforme means pear-shaped. The peridium is ovate or pear-shaped, with
a profusion of mycelial threads, as will be seen in Figure 470.

The cortex is covered with a thin coat of minute brownish scales or
granules, which are quite persistent. These can be seen in the
photograph by the aid of a gla