branch into several j'ipes with distinct orifices ; this structure must be attended to in full grown specimens, 

 in 3'oung ones it is not so apparent, but only the mature Fungus should ever be depended upon for botanical 

 character. 



With the descriptions of two varieties of Boletas given by Mr. Berkeley, under the name of pachi/jms, 

 our subject agrees, having points common to both ; ours was firm ivlien young, and the large specimen had 

 become very soft iti age ; in the young one the stem was obscurely retictdatecl, which disappeared, as the 

 texture grew rough with time ; two or three ymmg plcmis sprang from the same hase, and the spores were a 

 pale olivaceous ochre ; the juice was acid, and the smeU agreeable resembling an eatable mushi'oom. Our 

 Fungus Kkewise agreed ivith the descriptions cited above in bemg unchangeahle ; neither tubes nor flesh 

 became blue ; and in tiiis respect they aU differ from B. pac/iyjjus of Fries ; wliether therefore liis Fungus 

 and ours be intrinsically the same may perhaps admit of doubt, but our plate is the Boletus that Mr. Berkeley 

 describes under that name. With Boletus pachypus Fries gives a variety he calls B. amarus, which at present 

 has escaped our obsei-vation ; this amarus is the B. pachypics of Krombholz, who says " beware of eating 

 it ", one would have supposed it to be its own sufficient caution, as he adds that it differs from all other 

 tubed Agarics by its disagreeableness, and assuredly to be the most disagreeable of Boletuses is no sUght 

 dis-praise ; " it has an oily smell of bugs, and the taste is bitter and nauseous, the skin of the pUeus being 

 pai'ticularly bitter, it grows in the deciduous woods (as distinguished fi'om pine forests) of Northern Germany, 

 in summer and autumn; seldom in spring". Its general gTowth resembles B. eduUs, when we introduce 

 that excellent species to our gastronomic friends it \vill be time to point out clearly their discrepancies ; 

 knowledge of Mycology, however, is not intended to supersede the senses of taste and smell, and those who 

 possess such valuable gifts need not learn to consider them mere vuglar prejudices. 



