I 82 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



It is whitish on the outside, and thinner in substance 

 than the " bladdery cups," certainly more attractive. 

 This, again, is found all over Europe, in India, across 

 to the United States, and in the southern hemisphere. 

 At times sufficient may be collected for a good dish, 

 and we have seen them placed as decorations on the 

 dinner table instead of flowers, with a very pretty 

 effect. Some may think the result more satisfactory 

 than cookinc: and eatino; them. In the latter condi- 

 tion they are delicate, but without much flavour. 



There are several other kinds of " cups " which 

 could be eaten, and indeed we doubt if any of the 

 species are unwholesome. Not one has yet had the 

 reputation of being poisonous, or even suspicious or 

 disagreeable. They usually flourish in the autumn, 

 wiien agarics are plentiful, and no one would be at 

 the trouble of hunting all day for a few cups of 

 Peziza, when the basket could be filled with agarics 

 in half an hour. 



Whenever it has been our fortune to try them, 

 chiefly out of curiosit)^ their preparation has been 

 confined to simple stewing; but unless carefully 

 washed beforehand, they are liable to grittiness, 

 which is rather unpleasant to most -people. 



