A CATALOGUE OF ESCULENT BKITISH FUNGI. 145 



furfaraceous. Base tomentose. Substance thin, fragile, sab- 

 translucent, waxy. Odourless. Taste bland. 



Obs. It may be dressed raw for salad, or cooked like the others.— Jr. D. //, 



Genus VEEP A. 



(219.) VERPA DIGIT ALIFORMIS; The Thimble-finger. 

 (PI. XLIX. fig. 4.) 



Habifat. In damp, shadj sites. Solitary. 



Season. March to May. Rare. 



Pileics. Half an inch high and broad, dull brown at apex, 

 greyish below ; obtusely conical, irregular, free, but adpressed to 

 stem. Margin smooth or sub-rugalose. Inside whitish and 

 minutely tomentose. 



Stevi. One to thi-ee inches high, white, with tawny fiocCose 

 patches, stout, nearly equal, perhaps bent, rooting. 



Section. Flesh thin, fragile. Stem loosely stuffed, or hollow 

 below. Odourless. Taste bland. 



Obs. It seems rare with us, but is a good deal eaten in Italy. It is of 

 inferior quality. — W. D. H. 



OBDEB TUBEBAGEL 



Genus TUBER. 



(220.) TUBER ^STIVUM ; The Summer Truffle. (PI. L. fig. 1.) 



Habitat. Underground, in beech woods. In clusters. 



Season. June to October. Supposed to be common. 



Habit. Globose, irregular, one to three inches in diameter, dark 

 brown-black, strongly verrucose. Warts large, polygonal, pyra- 

 midal, transversely striate. 



Section. Solid, flesh whitish at first, soon clay-colour, white- 

 veined. Odour aromatic. Taste peculiar. 



Obs. This species may be common enough, but of course there is difSculty 

 in searching for and finding it. It is of good quality, though it has less flavour 

 than T. magnatum or T. cibarium, the most prized French species, which have 

 not been found in Great Britain. — W. D. 11. 



(221.) TUBER BRUMALE ; The Winter Truffle. (PI. L. fig. 2.) 

 Habitat. Underground, in oak woods. In clusters. 



