Rumphius, the celebrated botanist, was perhaps the first European to discover the phosphorescence of fungi, observing it in a large specimen on the island of Amboine, which he named _Fungus igneus_, or fire-mushroom. In America such exhibitions are rare. Mr. H. K. Morrell, editor of “The Gardiner (Me.) Home Journal,” informed me some few years ago that he had observed the phosphorescence of _Tianus stypticus_ in his garden; the young of which, being especially brilliant, emitted a steady light. In Brazil a certain agaric is famous for its vivid luminosity. It was observed by Mr. Gardner in 1840, who says, referring to the species which has been named _Agaricus gardneri_, “One dark night about the beginning of December, while passing along the streets of the Villa de Natividate, Goyaz, Brazil, I observed some boys amusing themselves with some luminous object, which I at first supposed to be a kind of large fire-fly; but, on making inquiry, I found it to be a beautiful phosphorescent species of _Agaricus_, and was told that it grew abundantly in the neighborhood on the decaying fronds of a dwarf palm. The whole plant gives out at night a bright phosphorescent light, somewhat similar to that emitted by the larger fire-flies, having a pale greenish hue. From this circumstance, and from growing on a palm, it is called by the inhabitants ‘Flor de Coco.’” Dr. Cuthbert Collingwood had a similar experience with an allied species in Borneo. “The night being dark, the fungi could be very distinctly seen, though not at any great distance, shining with a soft, pale greenish light. Here and there spots of much more intense light were visible, and these proved to be very young and minute specimens. The older specimens may more properly be described as possessing a greenish, luminous glow like the glow of the electric discharge; which, however, was quite sufficient to define its shape, and when closely examined, the chief details of its form and appearance. The luminosity did not impart itself to the hand, and did not appear to be affected by the separation from the root on which it grew, at least not for some hours. I think it probable that the mycelium of this fungus is also luminous; for, upon turning up the ground in search of small, luminous worms, minute spots of light were observed, which could not be referred to any particular object or body, when brought to the light and examined, and were probably due to some minute portions of its mycelium.” Mr. Hugh Low has stated that “he saw the jungle all in a blaze of light, by which he could see to read, as some years ago he was riding across the island by the jungle road, and that this luminosity was produced by an agaric.”