﻿BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  

  

  rpO 
  some 
  — 
  and 
  we 
  would 
  hope 
  that 
  the 
  number 
  is 
  

   ■*■ 
  few 
  — 
  the 
  very 
  name 
  of 
  Fungus 
  is 
  unknown. 
  To 
  

   others 
  this 
  name 
  is 
  associated 
  only 
  with 
  the 
  pileated 
  

   species, 
  or 
  at 
  most 
  with 
  the 
  addition 
  of 
  puff-balls, 
  or 
  such 
  

   as 
  possess 
  a 
  truly 
  fungoid 
  odour. 
  There 
  doubtless 
  may 
  be 
  

   found 
  a 
  privileged 
  few, 
  amongst 
  the 
  unscientific 
  denizens 
  

   of 
  our 
  islands, 
  who 
  acknowledge 
  a 
  broader 
  view, 
  and 
  

   include 
  a 
  far 
  less 
  limited 
  series 
  of 
  these 
  extraordinary 
  

   productions 
  of 
  the 
  vegetable 
  kingdom 
  within 
  the 
  terms 
  

   of 
  our 
  title. 
  

  

  It 
  would 
  be 
  vain 
  to 
  attempt 
  a 
  general 
  and 
  compact 
  

   definition 
  of 
  a 
  fungus, 
  or 
  to 
  describe 
  in 
  a 
  few 
  words 
  

   what 
  is 
  included 
  in 
  the 
  large 
  group 
  to 
  which 
  the 
  name 
  

   of 
  Fungi 
  is 
  given, 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  be 
  popularly 
  intelligible. 
  

   The 
  contents 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  volume 
  must 
  be 
  left 
  to 
  

   perform 
  this 
  office 
  for 
  us, 
  or 
  so 
  much 
  of 
  it 
  as 
  remains 
  

   untold 
  after 
  we 
  have 
  pointed 
  out 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  most 
  

   characteristic 
  of 
  the 
  homes 
  of 
  the 
  race. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  indeed 
  a 
  singular 
  and 
  despised 
  family 
  to 
  the 
  

   history 
  of 
  which 
  we 
  are 
  about 
  to 
  dedicate 
  this 
  volume. 
  

   Many 
  of 
  those 
  who 
  would 
  merit 
  the 
  title 
  of 
  " 
  good 
  

  

  

  