it from OUT L. gemmatum, which the pear-shape would not do, for some varieties of that are tui'biiiate, and 

 between the outUnes of a top and a pear there is slight difference. 



Of Lycoperdon ecelatum, the sculptured or embossed puff-ball, we propose shortly to give a plate, when 

 it will be immediately perceived that, unless in a very juvenile state indeed, the one cannot be mistaken for 

 the other. The very large Lycoperdon saccatiim, of wliich a drawing appeared in an early number, being 

 covered with spinulous warts in its juvenile state, is much more like this variety of L. gemmatum than any 

 of its other relatives are ; but the rare saccatwm has a different mode of bursting when ripe, it forms no 

 mouth, nor any regular aperture, but the peridium decays and disappears, leaving the stem merely sur- 

 mounted by the barren stratum which was the base of the ball. L. gemmatum, on the contrary, never emits 

 its contents as an oozing liquid, but from the mouth on the summit they fly off in dust, and children 

 call their receptacles. Devil's snuff-boxes. 



And all that parade of synonj^ms is attached to a Devil's snuff-box ! True, that is the peridium or 

 receptacle ; if we take out its contents the base is found to be considerably thicker than the sides ; this base 

 or barren stratum, in Lycoperdon gemmatum, is merely saucer-shaped, but in L. saccatum prolonged into a 

 stem so large as greatly to exceed in its entire substance the ball placed upon it, and in Lycoperdon gemmatum 

 is varied in many ways between the two extremes. Bovistas are as truly " puff-balls " as Lycoperdons are, 

 perhaps more so, for they never have stems, their peridium being a mere sac, destitute of the barren stratum ; 

 but besides this difference and some in the membranaceous covering itself, the colour of the contents is 

 different ; blackish-brown or umber in Bovista, in Lycoperdons olive-yellow or greenish-yellow. The mass of 

 contents is called the capiUitium, from its being composed of hairs upon which the spores are placed. 



For the rest, all of both classes are eatable, if selected before any change in the colour of the spores 

 takes place ; when cut across they should be snowy white, then served in white sauce, a more delicate fungus 

 there is not. The praises of the giant of the tribe we have written before ; Vittadini and Dr. Badham are 

 agreed as to the excellence of Bovista phunhea, and we can only add, when you vainly seek button-mush- 

 rooms, and are deluded by Lycoperdons, do not kick them away or pelt them away in anger, but make 

 them do duty as substitutes ; they have not the flavour of A. campestris, but resemble small sweet- breads. 

 Prohatutn est. 



