﻿83 
  A 
  PLAIN 
  AND 
  EASY 
  ACCOUNT 
  

  

  The 
  last 
  genus 
  in 
  this 
  order 
  is 
  Fistulina, 
  which 
  

   bears 
  much 
  external 
  and 
  general 
  resemblance 
  to 
  Poly- 
  

   poms, 
  and 
  was 
  at 
  one 
  time 
  included 
  in 
  it 
  ; 
  but 
  is 
  now 
  

   separated, 
  on 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  hymenium 
  being 
  at 
  first 
  

   covered 
  with 
  little 
  pap-like 
  elevations, 
  which 
  afterwards 
  

   elongate 
  into 
  distinct 
  tubes 
  bearing 
  the 
  reproductive 
  

   bodies. 
  The 
  only 
  species 
  Ave 
  possess 
  is 
  termed 
  F.hepa- 
  

   tica 
  (hepar, 
  Lat., 
  the 
  liver), 
  from 
  its 
  colour, 
  which 
  

   resembles 
  that 
  of 
  liver. 
  This 
  fungus 
  assumes 
  a 
  great 
  

   variety 
  of 
  forms. 
  In 
  its 
  earliest 
  stages 
  it 
  sometimes 
  

   looks 
  like 
  a 
  strawberry 
  ; 
  when 
  more 
  advanced 
  it 
  has 
  

   often 
  the 
  appearance 
  of 
  a 
  tongue. 
  One 
  of 
  its 
  conti- 
  

   nental 
  local 
  names 
  is 
  Lingua 
  di 
  Castagna, 
  which 
  

   applies 
  to 
  this 
  resemblance. 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  fleshy, 
  juicy 
  fungus, 
  

   with 
  an 
  undivided, 
  unstalked 
  pileus, 
  and 
  when 
  cut 
  pre- 
  

   sents 
  a 
  bright 
  streaky 
  appearance, 
  not 
  unlike 
  beetroot, 
  

   and 
  contains 
  a 
  red 
  juice 
  ; 
  the 
  porous 
  under 
  surface 
  is 
  

   yellowish 
  or 
  flesh-coloured 
  (PI. 
  17). 
  The 
  trunks 
  of 
  old 
  

   oaks 
  are 
  very 
  commonly 
  the 
  habitat 
  of 
  this 
  species, 
  

   which 
  occasionally 
  attains 
  a 
  very 
  large 
  size. 
  When 
  old, 
  

   it 
  becomes 
  rather 
  tough, 
  but 
  in 
  all 
  its 
  stages 
  it 
  affords 
  

   an 
  excellent 
  gravy, 
  and, 
  when 
  young, 
  if 
  sliced 
  and 
  

   grilled, 
  would 
  pass 
  for 
  a 
  good 
  beefsteak. 
  Specimens 
  

   are 
  now 
  and 
  then 
  met 
  with 
  that 
  would 
  furnish 
  four 
  or 
  

   five 
  men 
  with 
  a 
  good 
  dinner 
  ; 
  and 
  they 
  have 
  been 
  col- 
  

   lected 
  weighing 
  as 
  much 
  as 
  thirty 
  pounds. 
  The 
  liver- 
  

   colour 
  and 
  streaky 
  interior 
  are 
  sufficient 
  guides 
  whereby 
  

   to 
  recognise 
  this 
  species 
  under 
  all 
  its 
  protean 
  forms. 
  

   Mr, 
  Hussey 
  says 
  of 
  it, 
  that 
  " 
  if 
  it 
  is 
  not 
  beef 
  itself, 
  it 
  

   is 
  sauce 
  for 
  it 
  ;" 
  and 
  she 
  recommends 
  that 
  it 
  should 
  be 
  

  

  