512 WILD FLOWERS OF 



pore beef steaks growing on our oaks in tlie shape of 

 Fistulina Jiepatica!" as well as commending with 

 Apician gusto " Hydna good as oysters," Puff-balls 

 compared to sweetbread , Agaricus deliciosus " remind- 

 ing us of tender lamb kidneys," &c. but except as 

 sauces, catchups, or pickled, they are best avoided, 

 for even the genuine mushroom disagrees with some 

 persons, and all too often swarm with the larvae of 

 insects soon after they are gathered. SCHWJEGKICHEN, 

 indeed, a German botanist, is reported to have lived 

 for weeks on raw fungi, bread, and water, with "rather 

 an increase to his strength ;" and such a diet might, 

 therefore, probably meet favour with the lovers of 

 "total abstinence" in the present day. On the other 

 hand 'many fungi are most virulent poisons, and no 

 certain antidote is known against their deleterious 

 properties.* Toads were formerly supposed to have 

 communicated this poison to the fungi, and hence the 

 name of Toadstool. Perhaps, however, the Grerman 

 tode or todt (death), the frequent result of eating such 

 indigestible things, may be the more correct deriva- 

 tion. On the whole this beauteous tribe are but the 

 attendants of damp and corruption, and as direful 

 diseases have arisen from the use of food infected by 



* Dr. BADHAM in his work upon esculent Fungi has observed, that 

 " the Mushroom proper like other funguses should be eaten fresh ; a few 

 hours making all the difference between its wholesomeness and unwhole- 

 someness ; nor need this surprize us when we consider how many princi- 

 ples enter into its composition how short is the period of its existence 

 and how liable it must be to enter into new combinations in consequence. 

 VAQULEIN found in its flesh fat, adipocere, osmazome, an animal matter 

 insoluble in alcohol, sugar, fungine, and acetate of potash. What a med- 

 ley! and what wonder if the changes induced during decomposition 

 should cause the indigestions suffered by those who have eaten them in 

 this state! The Mushroom having the same proximate principles as meat, 

 requires like meat to be cooked before these become changed." 





