A CATALOGUE OF BRITISH POISONOUS FUNGI. 183 



Ohs. This species is most frequently alluded to as (/le poisonous Bolet, others 

 being probably confounded with it. In maturity it undoubtedly contains the 

 irritant principle I have termed Boletine, though possibly not strongly. In 

 youth this poison is apparently undeveloped. The Lurid Bolet is certainly 

 eaten commonly in some countries, and has been eaten here without ill result. 

 It seems evident, then, that the poison is easily dissipated, perhaps by simple 

 boiling. It is certain that all Bolets are innocuous after having been dried. 

 But fatalities have been traced to this species. It may be possible that the 

 poison is more strongly developed under circumstances and conditions yet un- 

 known, or it may be that it acts more powerfully on some constitutions than 

 on others. Till more facts are gathered together regarding the species, it must 

 be considered a dangerous one. — W. D. H. 



(XL VI.) BOLETUS SATANAS; Beelzebub's Cushion. 



Habitat. In woodlands, pai'ks, and commons. Solitary. 



Season. August to October. Uncommon. 



Pileus. Four to eight inches across, pale buff, whitish, shaded 

 and marbled with pale pink or green, perhaps quite white ; soft, 

 smooth, glabrous, dry, slightly viscid in wet ; convex, rounded, 

 pulvinate, thick. 



Stem. Tv?o to four inches high, crimson, or purplish, stout, 

 swollen, reticulate above, bulbous at base, naked. 



Pores. Blood-red or crimson, minute, round. 



Section. Flesh thick, compact but soft, juicy, white, on exposure 

 first reddening, then purpling. Stem solid. Tubes greenish- 

 yellow, elongate, small, free. Odour agreeable. Taste mild. 

 Spores red-brown. 



Obs. It is apparently the most noxious of the genus. Possibly it has been 

 sometimes mistaken for B. luridus, which may have caused that species to have 

 acquired a worse reputation than is really due to it. The principle in B. satanas 

 is irritant and violent. Yet, despite its name and its glaring hues, it is scarcely 

 so much to be dreaded as species of other genera already described. See the 

 mention of Boletine in chapter ix. 



.-. I here append a list of the remaining British species of Boletus, such as 

 have not been mentioned in the catalogue of esculents, or, as yet, in this. It 

 will be sufiScient to record only some distinguishing characteristics of each, 

 instead of giving full descriptions. Since the genus affords a considerable 

 number of capital esculents, and many of these are very abundant, I consider 

 it desirable to bring them weU into notice. It seemed right, then, to make 

 mention of species not actually known to be poisonous, as well as the four just 

 described. These species, which now follow, are suspected by some authorities, 

 though they have not been examined. Some of them may be noxious, or they 

 may not. At any rate, they are to be distrusted, and not meddled with by 

 amateur fungus-eaters. 



Boletus felleus. Pileus umber. Pores pinkish. Flesh becoming pink on 

 exposure. Taste bitter. Spores pink. Common locally. 



