FRAGRANT MUSHROOMS. 147 



stem, but hardly two inches long, sometimes not 

 more than one. The gills are rather broad, attached 

 to, and a little inclined to run down the stem ; they 

 are not white but of a greyish or ashy tint. It has 

 been several times figured in books, but in most cases 

 as a failure, for there is a subtlety about the colour 

 which seems to evade the artist. Of the odour, how- 

 ever, there is no mistake, and will at any time prove 

 sufficient for its identification. 



There is another similar species, with a greyish cap, 



becoming dirty white, but it is so rare that it has 



only been recognized in Britain on two occasions. It 



V is equally fragrant {Aga7Hais Trogii) and equally good 



eating. 



The other fragrant species to which a special 

 attention should be directed is by no means un- 

 common amongst grass in woods in the autumn. It 

 is the most common of the fragrant species, but is, 

 unfortunately, very small {Agaricus fragrans) ; the cap 

 is not more than an inch in diameter, often less, but 

 it seldom grows alone ; where one is found you may 

 expect to find twenty. The odour is almost identical 

 with that of the green, sweet mushroom, but hardly so 

 strong. It also is of a dry, tough texture, and may be 

 flattened and placed in a pocket-book, so that for 

 a long time the opening of the book allows the odour 

 to escape. The cap is convex, almost hemispherical, 

 with a dimple at the top, but it rarely becomes funnel' 

 shaped ; its colour when quite dry is creamy white, 



