Order Hymenomycetes. Tribe Pileati. 



Plate LXXIV. 



AGARICUS MOLLIS, >^./.^/.r 



Soft stemless A(/aric. 

 Series Derminus.' Sub-genus Crepidotus.^ 



Spec. Char. A. mollis. Solitary or imbricated, subsessile, flaccid ; pileus from one inch to two inches or more 

 broad ; at first horizontal, subgelatinous, the base tomentose or substrigose, margin transparent, minutely tomentose ; 

 then ascending, subfulvous, pallid when dry, the margin waved, sometimes minutely squamulose, often stained with 

 the spores. Gills rounded behind, thin, watery umber, at first saturated with moisture, then dry and crisp. Very 

 young specimens are entirely wliite. Spores dusky ferruginous. 

 Agauicus mollis, Sckaffer, Fries, Berkeley, Witliermg, Sowerhy, Persoou. 

 canescens, Batscli. 



Hah. On timber, stumps, posts, from July to October. 



This pretty little Agaric grew on the lid of an old well, facing the water, and receiving light only 

 when the village folks brought their buckets for a supply. It seems an odd taste to prefer such a home, 

 but dull as the flaunting belles of the road-side bank, or vulgar as the delicate beauties screened by sylvan 

 bowers might think the site, it had substantial advantages for the resupinate A. mollis ; there no rude 

 breath of wind entered, no gritty dust settled ; dry without drought, moist without pluvious mischief, a 

 glimpse of the busy world was aftbrded, just sufficient to make the turning down again of that well-lid a 

 shutting out of annoyance instead of a fiat of banishment from society. And then what a clear mirror for 

 beauty ; the fair spotless little Agarics look so pretty gemming that dull wood and bending over to gaze 

 at themselves in the still black water. There is no situation in which you can place wood (except upon 

 the fire) where some fungus will not locate itself, and abstract the principles of growth and life from it. 

 These are not always Agarics certainly, but other and various forms of mycological existence, destined to 

 carry out the work of destruction, according to the superficial observer ; of renovation, seen by the eyes of 

 those who examine below the external appearances of things. 



We cannot too strongly recommend to our friends blessed with good eyes and good microscopes, to 

 examine the minuter funguses ; a never wearying source of amusement, and of an interest much better 

 than amusement, the recognition of creative energy carrying out its operations on the smallest stick with 

 as much care, finish, contrivance and beauty, as on the most gigantic and subUme subject. Let not finite 

 intelligence pronounce anytliing beneath attention ; on looking again with a mind open to appreciate better, 



' From Se'p/ia, skin or membrmie. "Veil not arachnoid. Spores ferruginous. 



2 From Kprjms, a slipper, and ovs, an ear. Veil very thin, fibriUose. Pileus unequal, excentric or lateral. 

 Gills unequal, changing colour. Spores sub-ferruginous, sub-argillaceous, or reddish. 



