A CATALOGUE OF ESCULENT BRITISH FUNGI. 109 



of the remainder poisonous. I should certainly recommend all the esculents 

 for popular use were it not that there is immense difficulty in differentiating 

 some of them from others. They vary in tint, and are extremely similar, so 

 that though nothing is easier than to distinguish Eussules from other genera, 

 it is only an expert who can certainly determine the several species. The 

 edible Eussules are remarkably nice and dainty, and are extremely common. 

 I have placed two of them — the Bisotte and Verdette— in chapter vii., because 

 those species can be pretty easily recognised. Some others, such as E. alutacea, 

 are not hard to distinguish, when one has grown accustomed to handling mush- 

 rooms and observing their characters, and I recommend readers to compare 

 their points and acquire knowledge of them. In France they are largely and indis- 

 criminately eaten, and to guard against accidents, it appears to be usual to steep 

 them in vinegar, which is said to destroy the hurtful principle of the poisonous 

 kinds. But the objection to this plan is that it quite spoils the delicate flavour 

 of the good esculents. I therefore advise readers to learn to distinguish such 

 species as are most dissimilar from the poisonous Eussules, and to be content 

 with eating those only. — W. D. H. 



(120.) RUSSULA ALUTACEA ; The Baff-gilled Redcap. 



Habitat. In woods and parks. Singly and in groups. 



Season. July to November. Common. 



Pileus. Three to four inches across, usually dark lake-red, 

 sometimes pinky, or red lilac, smooth, viscid in wet ; rounded, 

 expanded, plane, depressed. Margin thin, even, then irregular, 

 pale, eventually striate or tuberculose. Cuticle separable. 



Stem. One to three inches high, white, perhaps stained with 

 red or buff, sub-rugulose, glabrous, thick, blunt, swollen above 

 base. 



Section. Flesh white, thickish, brittle, red under cuticle. Stem 



solid, spongy. Gills creamy buff, broad, equal, thick, sub-distant, 



straight, venate, free. Odourless. Taste mild, acrid in age. 



Spores buff. 



Obs. Distinguished by the colour of its giUs. Very good and quite whole- 

 some, though Badham thought it was unsafe. I have often enjoyed it. When 

 mature and acrid, the unpleasantness is removable by double scalding and 

 rinsing. — IF. D. H, 



(121.) RUSSULA AVRkTA; The Golden-cap. 



Habitat. In woods of pine and fir. Solitary. 



Season. July to October. Not common. 



Pileus. Two to three inches across, bright golden yellow, smooth, 

 polished ; convex, plane, rigid. Margin striate. Cuticle insepar- 

 able. 



Stem. Two to three inches high, lemon, pale, blunt, stout, 

 cylindrical, naked, sub-striate. 



