﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  PUNGI. 
  51 
  

  

  Singular 
  and 
  graceful 
  form. 
  It 
  rises 
  from 
  the 
  ground 
  

   like 
  a 
  cylinder 
  with 
  a 
  rounded 
  end, 
  and 
  afterwards 
  the 
  

   cap 
  opens 
  to 
  the 
  size 
  and 
  shape 
  of 
  a 
  hand-bell. 
  The 
  

   whole 
  surface 
  is 
  delicate 
  and 
  silky, 
  and 
  the 
  cap, 
  tinged 
  

   with 
  brown 
  at 
  the 
  top 
  and 
  greyish 
  at 
  the 
  base, 
  soon 
  

   becomes 
  covered 
  with 
  scales 
  as 
  of 
  entangled 
  threads. 
  

   The 
  stem 
  is 
  of 
  a 
  glossy 
  unsullied 
  whiteness, 
  tall, 
  

   tapering 
  upwards, 
  and 
  hollow 
  within. 
  The 
  narrow 
  

   ring 
  which 
  surrounds 
  the 
  stem 
  is 
  seldom 
  fixed. 
  The 
  

   gills 
  are 
  very 
  close 
  together, 
  and 
  are 
  at 
  first 
  pinkish, 
  

   passing 
  through 
  shades 
  of 
  purple 
  and 
  brown 
  to 
  black. 
  

   The 
  substance 
  of 
  the 
  hymenophorum, 
  or 
  that 
  portion 
  

   of 
  the 
  pileus 
  on 
  which 
  the 
  gills 
  are 
  situated, 
  is 
  very 
  

   thin, 
  and 
  soon 
  becomes 
  torn 
  and 
  split 
  at 
  the 
  margin. 
  In 
  

   this 
  state 
  probably 
  its 
  name 
  originated 
  {coma, 
  a 
  wig), 
  

   for 
  it 
  bears 
  a 
  fancied 
  resemblance 
  to 
  a 
  wig 
  upon 
  a 
  barber's 
  

   block. 
  This 
  species 
  is 
  so 
  rapidly 
  deliquescent, 
  that 
  

   while 
  standing, 
  or 
  more 
  speedily 
  if 
  gathered, 
  it 
  melts 
  

   away 
  drop 
  by 
  drop, 
  and 
  is 
  soon 
  converted 
  into 
  a 
  black 
  

   fluid 
  resembling 
  ink 
  ; 
  and 
  indeed 
  this 
  resem' 
  -lance 
  is 
  so 
  

   complete, 
  that 
  it 
  may 
  readily 
  be 
  employed 
  as 
  a 
  substitute; 
  

   all 
  that 
  is 
  required 
  being 
  to 
  boil 
  and 
  strain 
  it, 
  and 
  add 
  

   a 
  small 
  quantity 
  of 
  corrosive 
  sublimate 
  to 
  prevent 
  its 
  

   turning 
  mouldy. 
  There 
  is 
  generally 
  no 
  difficulty 
  in 
  pro- 
  

   curing 
  them 
  for 
  this, 
  or 
  any 
  other, 
  purpose 
  at 
  the 
  proper 
  

   season. 
  During 
  the 
  past 
  autumn 
  they 
  have 
  been 
  

   exceedingly 
  abundant 
  in 
  some 
  places, 
  especially 
  in 
  the 
  

   gardens 
  of 
  Chelsea 
  Hospital. 
  If 
  gathered 
  young, 
  they 
  

   afford 
  no 
  despicable 
  dish, 
  though 
  perhaps 
  not 
  quite 
  

   equal 
  to 
  the 
  common 
  mushroom. 
  Even 
  when 
  more 
  

  

  b 
  2 
  

  

  