A row of puffballs curves down the grassy hillside at Lake Cheston. These fungi are related to mushrooms (in the Basidiomycota) but grow all their spores internally, then either puff them from an orifice at the top of their swollen bodies, or let them passively disperse when the puffball disintegrates.

Puffballs, possibly genus Scleroderma, with Canis junebugi for scale

Several puffballs had been gnawed. The size of the bite marks suggests that deer were responsible. This one has three large bites taken out.

The skin is like bread that has been baked in a wood oven.