Similar experiences were detailed by Mr. James Drummond in a letter from Swan River, in which two species of Agaric are concerned. They grew on the stumps of trees, and had nothing remarkable in their appearance by day, but by night emitted a most curious light, such as the writer never saw described in any book. One species was found growing on the stump of a _Banksia_ in Western Australia. The stump was at the time surrounded by water. It was on a dark night, when passing, that the curious light was first observed. When the fungus was laid on a newspaper, it emitted by night a phosphorescent light, enabling persons to read the words around it, and it continued to do so for several nights with gradually decreasing intensity as the plant dried up. In the other instance, which occurred some years after, the author, during one of his botanical trips, was struck by the appearance of a large Agaric, measuring sixteen inches in diameter, and weighing about five pounds. This specimen was hung up to dry in the sitting-room, and on passing through the apartment in the dark it was observed to give out the same remarkable light. The luminous property continued, though gradually diminishing, for four or five nights, when it ceased on the plant becoming dry. "We called some of the natives," he adds, "and showed them this fungus when emitting light, and the poor creatures cried out 'chinga,' their name for a spirit, and seemed much afraid of it."[F] Although the examples already cited are those of species of Agaric, luminosity is not by any means wholly confined to that genus. Mr. Worthington Smith has recorded his experiences of some specimens of the common _Polyporus annosus_ which were found on some timbers in the Cardiff coal mines. He remarks that the colliers are well acquainted with phosphorescent fungi, and the men state that sufficient light is given "to see their hands by." The specimens of _Polyporus_ were so luminous that they could be seen in the dark at a distance of twenty yards. He observes further, that he has met with specimens of _Polyporus sulfureus_ which were phosphorescent. Some of the fungi found in mines, which emit light familiar to the miners, belong to the incomplete genus _Rhizomorpha_, of which Humboldt amongst others gives a glowing account. Tulasne has also investigated this phenomenon in connection with the common _Rhizomorpha subterranea_, Pers. This species extends underneath the soil in long strings, in the neighbourhood of old tree stumps, those of the oak especially, which are becoming rotten, and upon these it is fixed by one of its branches. These are cylindrical, very flexible, branching, and clothed with a hard bark, encrusting and fragile, at first smooth and brown, becoming later very rough and black. The interior tissue, at first whitish, afterwards of a more or less deep brown colour, is formed of extremely long parallel filaments from .0035 to .015 _mm._ in diameter.