4 Rhodora [January 



waste, together with bits of rags and paper, more or less mixed with 

 night soil, occupied a space of about one hundred square feet. The 

 pile was perhaps two feet deep. This heap was almost covered with 

 the fruit, which grew in great luxuriance in clusters of from three to 

 five each, the groups being perhaps a foot or so apart. As they grew 

 on such a loose, soft material it was very easy to secure specimens 

 in ail stages of development, from the closed volva up to the fully 

 mature fruit. I did not notice any specimens where the cap was fully 

 expanded so as to be really plane. While still somewhat conical, 

 or broadly umbonate, the pilei would become wrinkled or cre'py, and 

 have a wilted appearance. On consulting Stevenson's British 

 Hymenomycetes, I found that the species was undoubtedly V. vofoace*. 

 His description, which is that of Fries with dimensions added, is as 

 follows : — 



" Pileus 7.5 cent. (3 in.) broad, rarely more, cinereous, black-streaked 

 with appressed fibrils, campanulate, then expanded, obtuse. Stem 

 7.5-12.5 cent. (3-5 in.) long, 12 mm. (£in.) thick, white, solid, 

 somewhat equal; volva lax. Gills free, Mesh-colored. In stoves 

 [hot-housesj, roadsides, etc. Rare. July-Aug." 



From careful observation of the bed referred to, this description 

 might be amplified thus: — 



" Pileus 3-6 in. broad; (very few were less than 3 in. and many 

 were 5 or 6 in.); when first emerging from the volva almost black, and 

 under a lens somewhat fibrillose-tomentose. As the pileus expands 

 it becomes paler, and streaked with black, appressed fibrils, though 

 the disk remains dark. The older pilei become broadly umbonate 

 and striated, and in some cases almost sulcate, especially on the 

 margin. There seemed, also, a general tendency for the pileus, even 

 before expanding, to split at the disc, usually into quite regular 

 quarters, the split often extending partly down the stem. The 

 margin in the expanded caps, also, was frequently split. Stem silky- 

 fibrillose, solid, white without and within, expanded into a bulb at 

 base, and connected with the volva, central but frequently curved, 

 probably owing to the irregular shape of the heap of material. When 

 growing out of the side of a little mound, the stem would curve upward, 

 to bring the pilei horizontal. Gills free, white at first, becoming 

 pink or flesh-colored, and finally almost salmon-colored ; rather close, 

 of various lengths. Flesh white, rather thin ; taste mild and rather 

 pleasant, although the fruit all had a strong odor. Volva white below, 



