﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  11 
  

  

  versal 
  in 
  fimsri. 
  There 
  are 
  some 
  which 
  have 
  the 
  scent 
  

   of 
  tarragon, 
  of 
  new-mown 
  hay, 
  of 
  violets, 
  of 
  anise, 
  of 
  

   walnuts, 
  of 
  new 
  meal, 
  &c. 
  ; 
  while 
  there 
  are 
  others 
  

   which, 
  we 
  must 
  confess, 
  have 
  the 
  odour 
  of 
  onions, 
  of 
  

   garlic, 
  of 
  tainted 
  meat, 
  of 
  fish, 
  and 
  equally 
  unpleasant 
  

   substances 
  ; 
  and 
  others, 
  again, 
  which 
  are 
  devoid 
  of 
  any 
  

   perceptible 
  odour. 
  Some 
  persons 
  are 
  very 
  fond 
  of 
  

   tasting, 
  and 
  here 
  they 
  may 
  gratify 
  that 
  propensity 
  ; 
  for 
  

   in 
  fungi 
  they 
  will 
  meet 
  with 
  a 
  variety 
  of 
  flavours, 
  some 
  

   <.f 
  which 
  will 
  be 
  calculated 
  to 
  please, 
  and 
  others 
  to 
  

   disgust. 
  In 
  the 
  raw 
  state, 
  probably, 
  the 
  acrid 
  or 
  

   unpleasant 
  prevails 
  in 
  the 
  majority 
  of 
  cases, 
  for 
  some 
  

   species 
  which 
  are 
  pleasant 
  when 
  cooked, 
  have 
  a 
  very 
  

   acrid 
  taste 
  when 
  eaten 
  raw. 
  The 
  number 
  of 
  poisonous 
  

   species 
  has, 
  perhaps, 
  been 
  exaggerated 
  ; 
  but 
  of 
  these 
  

   there 
  are 
  many, 
  and 
  the 
  dangerous 
  properties 
  of 
  

   a 
  few 
  are 
  extremely 
  virulent. 
  We 
  have 
  always 
  

   imagined 
  it 
  prudent 
  to 
  taste 
  unknown 
  species 
  with 
  

   caution, 
  since 
  we 
  have 
  learnt 
  that 
  some 
  mycologists, 
  

   having, 
  perhaps, 
  more 
  enthusiasm 
  than 
  caution, 
  have, 
  

   from 
  merely 
  tasting 
  very 
  virulent 
  species, 
  suffered 
  

   for 
  some 
  time 
  afterwards 
  considerable 
  pain 
  and 
  in- 
  

   convenience. 
  More 
  especial 
  reference 
  will 
  be 
  made 
  

   hereafter 
  to 
  the 
  species 
  recommended 
  as 
  esculent, 
  and 
  

   which 
  may 
  be 
  found, 
  in 
  greater 
  or 
  less 
  number, 
  in 
  our 
  

   own 
  islands. 
  

  

  As 
  articles 
  of 
  food, 
  fungi 
  are 
  certainly 
  deserving 
  of 
  

   more 
  attention 
  than 
  they 
  have 
  hitherto 
  received 
  from 
  

   the 
  majority 
  of 
  our 
  countrymen. 
  People 
  widely 
  sepa- 
  

   rated 
  by 
  mountains, 
  oceans, 
  or 
  vast 
  tracts 
  of 
  desert, 
  

  

  