COPRINUS. 307 



comatus, from which, however, it is distinguished by the fol- 

 lowing characters ; smaller size, margin of pileus striate, 

 surface densely covered with concentric scales, apex smooth, 

 cup-like, very distant gills with no tinge of purple, and 

 fugacious ring. 



Coprinus sterquilinus. Fr. 



Pileus about 2 in. across when expanded, conical, then ex- 

 panded, sulcate more than half way from margin tij disc, at 

 first villous or silky, disc rather fleshy with squarrose squa- 

 mules, silverj'-grey, tinged with fut^cous at the apex, flesh 

 thin ; gills free, ventricose, about 2 lines broad, pale then 

 purple-umber; stem 4-6 in. high, slightly attenuated up- 

 wards, white, fibrillose, hollow, thickened base solid, and 

 peionate for aboiit an inch fi'om the base, margin of sheath 

 ending in a free border or ring. 



Coprinus sterquilinus. Fries, Epicr., p. 242 ; Cke., Hdbk., 

 p. 225 ; Cke., Illnstr., pi. GGO. 



On dung. A fine large species known by the squamulose 

 apex of the pileus, the basal portion of the stem surrounded 

 by a volva-like, adnate structure with a free upper margin. 

 The stem soon becomes black when bruised. Base of stem 

 not rooting but abrupt, and furnished with a few white 

 fibres. 



Coprinus oblectus. Fr. 



Pileiis 1 in. or more across, cylindrical, then conico-cam- 

 panulate, at first whitish and everywhere silky, then glabrous 

 and pallid-tan, sulcate nearly up to the disc, flesh membra- 

 naceous ; gills free, linear, becoming blackish with a tinge of 

 flesh-colour; stem 3-4 in. long, ^ in. thick, slightly attenu- 

 ated upwards, soft, even, silky, white, hollow, base with a 

 short adnate sheath, the upper margin of which is free and 

 reflexed. 



Coprinus oblectus. Fries, Epicr., p. 243 ; Cke., Hdbk., p. 225 ; 

 Cke., lllustr., pi. 661 (after Bolton). 



Agaricus oblectus, Bolton, Fung., t. 142. 



On dung. Has not been recorded since Bolton's time. 

 Pileus white and silky at first, tlien becoming glabrous and 

 powdered with red ; finally revolute. Spores — from an un- 

 certain specimen in the Kew Herbarium — 23-20 x 14 fx. 



The root is swelled, and emits white downy fibres. 



X 2 



