Plate VII. fig. 21 represents a beautiful species of _Rhinot´richum_, which is found upon decaying and sickly plants, and upon rotting sticks, forming a minute grey mould. The fruit-stalks (fig. 22) are large, sparingly branched, septate or jointed, appearing brownish under the microscope. Their ends are branched, mostly biternate (fig. 23), _i. e._ each branch dividing into three branchlets, and these again into three still finer ones. The ends of the branchlets are inflated, and coated with little points, upon each of which a smooth white spore (fig. 24) is placed. ASCOMYCÉTES (ἁσκὀς, a bottle, μὑκης, fungus). The Fungi belonging to this Order are found upon the stems and leaves of plants, and upon decaying substances, as dung, &c. They are usually evident to the naked eye, some even equalling the Hymenomycetous Fungi in size; and many of them are brilliantly coloured. They are in general distinguishable with facility from the Fungi of other Orders, by the arrangement of the spores in colourless sacs or asci (Pl. VIII. fig. 9), resembling those noticed in the case of the Lichens. These asci are usually enclosed in a capsule or _perithécium_. The mycelium is usually buried in the matrix, so as not to be conspicuous. _Helvellácei._--To this family belongs the large genus _Pezíza_, some of the species of which are beautifully coloured, yet scarcely microscopic. Among these may be mentioned _Pezíza omphalódes_ (Pl. VIII. fig. 6), which forms little red masses upon damp ceilings. It does not possess the ordinary form of a _Peziza_, which is that of a cup fixed at the end of a stalk, like a mushroom with the cup turned inside out, the asci lining its interior. _Peziza coccin´ea_ is not uncommon in woods. It is whitish outside, the interior of the cup being of a brilliant scarlet colour. It is from half an inch to an inch in height. _Peziza stercor´ea_ (Pl. VIII. fig. 7) is often found upon dung. The surface of the cup of this Fungus is granular and covered with bristles (figs. 8 & 11). The cup is concave (fig. 10), and lined with the asci (fig. 9), among which are simple paraphyses. The _Pezizæ_ are excellent Ascomycetous Fungi for exhibiting the asci, as they are more or less soft, and thus sections of them may be easily prepared, or they may readily be picked to pieces with the mounted needles. TUBERACEI.--In this family is contained the Truffle (_Túber cibárium_). The asci are situated upon the inner surfaces of the winding canals traversing the substance of the fleshy fruit (_peridium_) of which the truffle consists. PHACIDIA´CEI.--To this family belongs _Hystérium frax´ini_ (Pl. VIII. fig. 30), which is found upon ash-twigs. The drawn-out capsules or perithecia (fig. 31) are black and elliptical, with a longitudinal fissure or orifice, and contain the asci (fig. 32) with the spores.