April, 1920] 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



75 



nearly white and the scales may be washed off by 

 rains. 



The stalk is 4 to 6 inches long, about half an 

 inch thick, usually white but often yellowish in 

 color, hollow in age. The bottom of the stalk 

 is enlarged into a prominent bulb which is more or 

 less rough and shaggy or scaly. The lower part of 

 the stalk above the bulb is also shaggy. 



The gills are white or slightly tinged with yellow 

 and do not become pink or brown as do those of 

 many edible mushrooms. 



weakening of the heart action. Of course, when 

 symptoms such as these appear after eating mush- 

 rooms a physician should be sent for immediately. 



The system should be freed of fhe undigested 

 fungus as soon as possible. Strong emetics such as 

 zinc sulphate, apomorphine or warm mustard and 

 water should be used. If these are lack ng or pro- 

 duce no effect tickle the throat with a fnather or 

 the finger to cause immediate and violent vomiting. 

 This should be followed by a strong dose of castor 

 oil. 



Fig. 2. Deadly Agaric (Amaniiu phalloides, Fr. i Ueadly Poisonous. 

 From Bulletin 263, Ontario Department of Agriculture, Ontario Agricultural College. 



The ring is quite large, white, and firmly at- 

 tached to the stalk. 



The main points to remember about this fungus 

 are: The yellow or orange cap with loose white 

 scales. Gills white, never becoming pink or brown. 

 Ring large, white, firmly attached to the stalk. The 

 stalk enlarged at the base into a prominent shaggy 

 or scaly bulb and the stalk shaggy between the 

 bulb and the ring. 



The poison in this mushroom is known as mus- 

 carin. This substance fortunately has an unplea- 

 sant bitter taste, so that the plant is seldom eaten 

 even if collected by mistake. The poison does not 

 act immediately, but the symptoms appear in from. 

 Yl to 2 hours, and are: vomiting and diarrhoea, with 

 a pronounced flow of saliva, suppression of urine, 

 giddiness, uncertainty of movement, derangement of 

 vision. This is followed by stupor, cold sweats and 



The Deadly Agaric (Amanita phalloides, Fr.) 

 Deadly poisonous. 



This fungus is called the Deadly Agaric because 

 it is extremely poisonous and there is no known 

 antidote for the poison. (Fig. 2). 



The plant usually grows in the woods or along 

 the borders of woods, but has also been known to 

 appear in lawns. It generally appears in July and 

 August. It is quite variable in color, varying from 

 pure white through yellowish to olive. 



The cap is 1.5 to 5 inches broad, at first bell- 

 shaped, finally nearly flat, fleshy, viscid or slimy 

 when fresh, smooth, often with a few loose white 

 scales. The color varies from white, through yel- 

 low to olive green, the dark forms being more com- 

 mon in Ontario. 



The stalk is 2 to 8 inches long, ^4 to J/2 inch 

 thick, hollow, white or colored like the cap, but 



