164. A CATALOGUE OF BKITISH POISONOUS FUNGI. 



plane, obtuse. "Warts floccose, scattered, patchy, fragmentary, 

 white, fugacious. Margin even, regular, not striate. 



Stem. Three to five inches high, white, stout, attenuate above, 

 8ub-fibrillose, bulbous below. Ring large, membranaceous, de- 

 flexed. Volva ample, loose, expanded, free. 



Section. Flesh thick, white, unchanging. Stem stuffed, at 

 length hollow above. Gills white, numerous, unequal, rather 

 broad, straight, free. Odour peculiar. Taste scarcely acrid. 

 Spores white. 



Ohs. Mentioned in chapter ix. It is an elegant species, and probably as 

 virulent as any known. In youth it is enticing in appearance, and neither 

 scent nor taste are then against it. The principle, Bulbosine, is a narcotico- 

 acrid, and is always present. The green variety occurs late. This variety has 

 been mistaken for the Bisotte by a person who knew nothing of Fungi, and who 

 took an illustration for his guide, paying no attention to the verbal description. 

 I probably saved him from death by explaining the mistake, luckily before any 

 were eaten. There is really no resemblance, if the characters are known. Yet 

 this shows that plates are deceptive, if not used in conjunction with a descrip. 

 tion of structure. I think that inferior illustrations are a snare. — W, D. H. 



(VI.) AGARICUS VERNUS; Amanita vema ; The Destroying 

 Angel. 



Habitat. In and about woods. Solitary, or in small gx'oups. 



Season. May to August. Common locally. 



Pileus. Two to four inches across, snow-white, satin-sleek in 

 dry weather, viscid in wet, patchy-verrucose ; at first ovate in 

 volva, then campanulate, convex, expanded, plane. Warts floccose, 

 irregular, few. Margin even, regular, smooth, perhaps fimbriate 

 at first from veil. 



Stem. Three to six inches high, snow-white, elongate, equal 

 above, bulbous at base. Ring large, high, membranaceous, de- 

 flexed. Volva large, loose, close-sheathing, persistent, free. 



Section. Flesh thickish, white, unchanging. Stem stuffed. 

 Gills white, numerous, unequal, free. Odour faintly aromatic. 

 Taste at first mild, in age acrid. Spores white. 



Obs. Angelically beautiful and demoniacally poisonous. Narcotico-acrid. 

 See chapter ix. It reminds me of a bride in white satin and lace. A perfect 

 specimen I once lit upon in the shade of a dark shrubbery, illuminated by a 

 stragghng ray of sunshine, through which a red admiral butterfly fluttered down 

 upon it, afforded me an artistic feast. It must not be mistaken for any of the 

 white spring esculents. Before leaving this sub-genus, I may note that Am. 

 spissa, Am. lenticularis, and Am. adnata are suspicious species, though nothing 

 pertain seems to be known about them. — W. D. H. 



