﻿40 
  A 
  PLAIN 
  AND 
  EASY 
  ACCOUNT 
  

  

  on 
  those 
  venerable 
  trees, 
  elevated 
  many 
  feet 
  above 
  the 
  

   ground, 
  but 
  also 
  from 
  them 
  derives 
  its 
  specific 
  name 
  

   [A. 
  ulmariui). 
  We 
  have 
  seen 
  it 
  occasionally 
  around 
  

   Hampstead 
  and 
  Highgate, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  not 
  considered 
  a 
  

   very 
  common 
  species. 
  The 
  specimen 
  from 
  which 
  our 
  

   drawing 
  was 
  made 
  came 
  from 
  the 
  former 
  locality 
  ; 
  it 
  

   was 
  flourishing 
  alone, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  more 
  usual 
  to 
  meet 
  

   with 
  them 
  in 
  tufts. 
  The 
  stem 
  is 
  thick 
  and 
  inserted 
  a 
  

   little 
  out 
  of 
  the 
  centre 
  ; 
  the 
  pileus 
  is 
  smooth, 
  slightly 
  

   and 
  minutely 
  spotted 
  ; 
  and 
  the 
  gills 
  are 
  broad, 
  close, 
  

   and 
  of 
  a 
  dirty 
  white. 
  Although 
  perfectly 
  wholesome, 
  

   there 
  is 
  not 
  much 
  flavour 
  in 
  it, 
  and 
  whatever 
  it 
  may 
  

   be 
  when 
  young, 
  it 
  certainly 
  exhibits 
  a 
  tendency 
  to 
  

   toughness 
  when 
  fully 
  matured, 
  which 
  does 
  not 
  recom- 
  

   mend 
  it 
  to 
  the 
  gastronomist. 
  It 
  has 
  been 
  customary 
  

   to 
  regard 
  this 
  and 
  some 
  of 
  its 
  allies 
  as 
  alimentary, 
  

   but 
  there 
  is 
  no 
  doubt 
  that 
  they 
  could 
  all 
  be 
  very 
  

   well 
  spared 
  from 
  the 
  list 
  (PI. 
  6, 
  fig. 
  1). 
  

  

  Late 
  in 
  the 
  autumn 
  the 
  Oyster 
  (^4. 
  ostreatus) 
  may 
  

   be 
  found 
  growing 
  on 
  trees. 
  But, 
  whilst 
  in 
  the 
  animal 
  

   world 
  the 
  oyster 
  that 
  groweth 
  upon 
  trees 
  is 
  considered 
  

   ;is 
  degenerate 
  and 
  unfit 
  for 
  becoming 
  the 
  food 
  of 
  man, 
  

   in 
  the 
  vegetable 
  world 
  the 
  tree-loving 
  oyster 
  is 
  held 
  

   by 
  many 
  to 
  be 
  excellent 
  food. 
  The 
  fungus 
  to 
  which 
  

   we 
  have 
  thus 
  alluded 
  has 
  generally 
  so 
  peculiar 
  an 
  

   appearance, 
  common 
  only 
  to 
  a 
  very 
  limited 
  number 
  of 
  

   British 
  species, 
  that 
  it 
  can 
  scarcely 
  be 
  mistaken. 
  The 
  

   only 
  one 
  which 
  would 
  be 
  liable 
  to 
  be 
  confounded 
  with 
  

   it 
  makes 
  its 
  appearance 
  in 
  spring, 
  and 
  is 
  not 
  esculent, 
  

   whilst 
  theoy8ter 
  is 
  an 
  autumnal 
  species 
  and 
  is 
  decidedly 
  

  

  