but in age generally expanded, splitting, and lax. Some of the family are enveloped in infancy, before the 

 cup expands and loses its hemispherical shape, in a veil, which being ruptured and broken up by the growth 

 of the pUeus remains in floccose or furfuraceous fragments outside the cup. Of an elegant and interesting 

 family, Peziza aurantia may vie with the proudest member of it ; the tender wax-like outside of the cup 

 contrasting dehcately with the rich orange within ; it is, as it looks, extremely fragile. In a side-light a kind 

 of bloom, as upon fruit, may be detected upon the deep yellow interior, and by giving a gentle fillip it may 

 be made to lly off perceptibly ; of course this experiment vnW. not answer beyond a certain number of times, 

 the sporidia in each case being (according to Mr. Berkeley) only two in the present subgenus, so that the 

 supply win be speedily exhausted. This Peziza is not uncommon, but is nowhere in any great abundance, 

 and it is not a Fungus to escape notice ; probably it prefers rich soil, as most of the family do, the cool 

 heavy loam of some woodlands producing them more frequently than elsewhere. Of Peziza acetabulum, a 

 very curious variety, and considered by Vittadini as the esculent Peziza, a portrait shall in due time appear ; 

 before that, however, we wiU devote ourselves to the task of eating it, for we regret to say of our pretty 

 P. aurantia that it has never appeared here in sufficient quantity to make gustatory experiments upon ; 

 and the conscientious " Probatum est " must be withheld. 



