rarely appears. It cannot possibly be mistaken for any other ; Agaricus radicatns, its near relative, is never 

 csespitose, and has not a tinge of yellow in its whole composition. The velvet stem and wliite spores must 

 be present, in which case if an Agaric possess a general tint of tawny yellow combined with those two 

 characters, it can scai'cely be any other species. Occasionally from the recesses of some old stump it 

 stretches out an unduly lengthened fasciculus of stems, pallid from want of light, and distorted from want 

 of room, so that its oldest acquaintance might be puzzled to recognise " the once famihar friend." But 

 even such monstrous growths as this, a httle caution about the colour of the spores, and attention to those 

 characteristics which in all Aijarics are unchangeahle — the shape of the gills ; the nature of the stem, 

 whether hollow or soHd ; the way in which the giUs are placed as regards the stem, whether decurrent, 

 free, or emarginate ; the presence of volva, ring, or cui'tain, all the pai'ticulars in fact which, belonging to 

 the intrinsic nature of the species, wOl be always found invariable, despite the accidents of colour, and 

 appear in a mere black and wliite drawing — these unchangeable characteristics must be looked to 

 carefully, and then, although distoiied, abortive things may be found, such as lead the tyro to conclude he 

 has discovered sometliing quite undetected hitherto, the mask will be puUed off as soon as anatomical 

 examination is brought into play. It must be observed that masquerading Agarics, Boletuses, &c., &c., do 

 not usurp each other's likeness, but are like nothing ever seen before. Agaricus velutipes, for instance, if 

 acquiring a different character from its true type as an Agaric, will not, therefore, be mistaken for A. cau- 

 diciiim or A.fascicularis, but puzzle the examiner as a new and undescribed species. Considering the 

 rapidity of their development, the loose texture of their parts and the harsh substances, often conglomerated 

 pebbles and entangled roots, tlirough which they have to force a way, it is astonisliing that tilings so soft 

 and fragile should be as seldom distorted as they are. 



Of the quahties of A. velutipes we are ignorant ; it is not bitter as many yellow funguses are, but 

 tastes agreeably and possibly may be wholesome for food, if the slippery quahty it possesses be not objected 

 to ; for ourselves we honestly confess that the consistence of a slug is not agreeable to our palate. 



