Page:Coloured Figures of English Fungi or Mushrooms.djvu/688

 species, except the little claws of the larger gills. No. 1 1. is a still more extraordinary variety, being hollow in the centre of the pileus. No. 12. is a variety which, under the circumstances when found, Bulliard, tab. 84, calls Agaricus nitens. No. 13. was called Ag. glutinosus, by Mr. Curtis, having a glutinous pileus, and the stipes thickened with gluten. No. 14. is the more perfect form; it is frequently found under and agrees with the term semiglobatus. No. 15. a, b, c, are three lamellæ, or gills, separated to shew their usual shapes; they are nearly white, (more rarely buff,) or snuffy brown, grey, and almost black, and sometimes have a white dusty edge; and the principal ones have always a permanent membranaceous sort of claw which holds them to the stipes (see tab. 248.; the artist sometimes forgot to make some of them whitish,) but when gathered, separate very easily from the stem and seem to have been always loose, unless very attentively examined. No. 16. a small sodden one, in such a state as to be scarcely recognizable.

Fungi grow best and most perfect, perhaps, after a wet summer, and in dewy mornings many species may be found covered with a substance that has a glutinous appearance, which is totally gone at noon. The same species on a rainy morning may be sodden and swelled without having any glutinous appearance, but this happens most commonly late in Autumn, when they are in a less perfect state. Frequently the direct contrary happens. This, I presume, clearly indicates much difference in the appearance of this most fugacious tribe of vegetables; and to this, in a great measure, is undoubtedly owing that difference in the same Fungus that makes Authors differ so widely, both in description and opinion, as I presume the figures will point out. These from Mitcham are all, no doubt, varieties of the same species, and being chemically examined, exhibited similar substances; and as far as the little we had to make trial upon, they all produced a gluten which is of a peculiar quality, rather insipid to the taste at first, but after a while somewhat strangely acrid in the throat. We intend a further examination the first opportunity. They generally grow from horse-dung.