Mushrooms, Fungi, or Toadstools 395 



of the stem is elongated tapering downward; the Napkin 

 Amanitas {map pa), volva circularly split; but all will be 

 known by the four characters, poison-cup, ring, white or 

 yellowish gills, and the form shown in the diagram — and 

 all are deadly poison. 



Amanita phalloides. 



This wan demon of the woods is probably the deadliest 

 of all vegetable growths. To this pale villain or its kin is 

 traced the responsibility for all deaths on record from toad- 

 stool poisoning. There have been cases of recovery when a 

 strong man got but a little of the poison, but any one mak- 

 ing a meal of this fungus, when beyond reach of medical aid, 

 has but a poor chance of escape. Its poison is a subtle 

 alkaloid akin to rattlesnake venom, it rarely begins to show 



