﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  29 
  

  

  has 
  a 
  thick 
  cuticle, 
  which 
  breaks 
  up 
  into 
  distinct 
  

   scales 
  (PI. 
  2). 
  The 
  ring 
  is 
  moveable 
  and 
  the 
  gills 
  are 
  

   very 
  remote, 
  leaving 
  a 
  considerable 
  distance 
  between 
  

   them 
  and 
  the 
  stem. 
  This 
  fungus 
  is 
  esteemed 
  also 
  in 
  

   Germany, 
  France, 
  Italy, 
  and 
  Spain, 
  where 
  it 
  is 
  known 
  

   locally 
  by 
  various 
  names 
  ; 
  as 
  parasol 
  schwamm 
  in 
  Ger- 
  

   many, 
  coulemelle 
  in 
  France, 
  buhbola 
  maggiore 
  in 
  Italy, 
  

   and 
  cogomelos 
  in 
  Spain. 
  Although 
  it 
  has 
  but 
  little 
  

   flesh, 
  it 
  is 
  very 
  savoury 
  and 
  of 
  an 
  excellent 
  odour, 
  

   and 
  is 
  generally 
  cooked 
  in 
  oil, 
  with 
  salt, 
  pepper, 
  and 
  

   a 
  little 
  garlic, 
  the 
  stems 
  being 
  excluded. 
  An 
  allied 
  

   species, 
  Agaricus 
  rac/iodes, 
  found 
  in 
  shady 
  pastures, 
  

   has 
  flesh 
  which 
  is 
  mostly 
  red 
  when 
  bruised. 
  The 
  pileus 
  

   is 
  globose 
  in 
  the 
  young 
  state, 
  but 
  afterwards 
  expands 
  

   and 
  becomes 
  depressed. 
  The 
  cuticle 
  is 
  thinner 
  than 
  in 
  

   the 
  last-named 
  species, 
  and, 
  like 
  that, 
  is 
  broken 
  up 
  into 
  

   scales. 
  It 
  is 
  doubted 
  by 
  some 
  whether 
  this 
  is 
  really 
  

   a 
  very 
  wholesome 
  species 
  ; 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  eaten, 
  and 
  we 
  

   are 
  assured 
  by 
  those 
  who 
  have 
  eaten 
  them, 
  that 
  both 
  

   species 
  are 
  equally 
  excellent. 
  They 
  will, 
  either 
  of 
  

   them, 
  afford 
  a 
  good 
  ketchup, 
  and, 
  consequently, 
  it 
  is 
  

   said, 
  realize 
  a 
  good 
  price 
  in 
  Covent 
  Garden, 
  although 
  

   we 
  have 
  never 
  had 
  the 
  good 
  fortune 
  to 
  see 
  them 
  there. 
  

  

  Another 
  and 
  smaller 
  species 
  of 
  the 
  same 
  sub-genus 
  

   (A. 
  excoriatus) 
  has 
  been 
  eaten, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  not 
  to 
  be 
  recom- 
  

   mended. 
  The 
  cuticle 
  is 
  also 
  thin, 
  and 
  breaks 
  up 
  into 
  

   patches. 
  The 
  stem 
  is 
  short, 
  hollow, 
  and 
  nearly 
  white. 
  

   Amateurs 
  would 
  do 
  well 
  to 
  confine 
  their 
  gastronomic 
  

   experiments 
  to 
  the 
  first-named 
  of 
  these 
  species 
  {A. 
  pro- 
  

   cerus). 
  It 
  is 
  so 
  distinct 
  in 
  habit 
  and 
  general 
  appear- 
  

  

  