1 74 AN AGARIC NEW TO THE BRITISH FLORA. 



Though shy Avith strangers, it is very fond of being noticed 

 and caressed by those to whose presence it has been accus- 

 tomed. In the same garden there are three lapwings, a blue- 

 backed gull, and a curlew. The plovers are often seen with 

 the buzzard sitting in tlie midst of them, showing no signs 

 of caution or apprehension, but seem as if they were listen- 

 ing to a lecture delivered by him. The gull frequently re- 

 tires into the garden house, probably to enjoy the society of 

 the buzzard. The garden is not the garden of Eden, and yet 

 these birds, of different natures, habits, and dispositions, 

 appear to live in perfect harmony, peace, and good fellowship 

 with each other. 



G. J. F. 



Newton-by-the-Sea, Aug. 29, 1845. 

 P.S. — I have had three living specimens of the Honey Buz- 

 zard in my possession, not one of them in plumage at all 

 resembling the other. One of the three never could be 

 induced to take any food, and after living about a fortnight, 

 died, 1 believe, from pure inanition. Besides the plaintive 

 cry above mentioned, the Honey Buzzard has another and 

 more varied note apparently of alarm. 



Description of an Agaric new to the British Flora. 



AGARICUS CAPERATUS. 



Desc. — Filem convex, orbiculate, obtusely umbonate, even, 

 very dry, of a uniform gall-stone yellow, usually paler about 

 the top, covered with a mealy powder of the same colour, 

 which, in some places, is gathered into an imperfect scaliness, 

 the margin inflected, entire or more or less sinuated : veil as 

 thick as writing paper, persistent, stretched between the 

 margin and stem, to which it is closely attached, thickly 

 covered with the same powder as the pileus, but more dis- 

 tinctly" squammulose : fesh thick, solid and firm, white, 

 not changing colour, mild and insipid in taste. Gills nume- 

 rous, adnate, four in a set, dry and smooth, sienna-yellow, 

 juiceless: sporules elliptical, very light honey-yellow. Stem 

 cylindrical, as thick as a man's thumb, erect and solid, the 



