FUNGI. 255 



on horse dung in pastures, very slender, the cap very 

 delicate, and striped and soon splitting into ribbons. 



But of all this group of Agarics, the Starry Coprinus 

 is by far the most curious. The tiny fungus springs 

 from radiating threads, and, in youth, resembles a tiny 

 puff ball. It grows on plastered walls, the radiating 

 spawn is necessary to collect nourishment for the plant 

 from the atmosphere (C. radians, Plate XVII., fig. 14). 

 My specimen grew on plaster on }y a twelvemonth old, 

 and such was the interest of my gentle host in the study 

 of fungi, that he did not grudge to chisel out the piece 

 of plaster, to endow my collection with the specimen. 



The Hygrophorus group has waxy folds, and the whole 

 plant is of a brittle watery nature. The Meadow Hygro- 

 phorus (H. pratensis), is bright yellow or buff, moist and 

 shining, and very ornamental. The conical species (H. 

 conicus) is larger, of a more permanent yellow, shading 

 to bright scarlet, very showy and attractive. The 

 Paroquet Hygrophorus (H. psittacinus) is beautifullv 

 tinged with green both on the cap and folds, it studs the 

 AYiltshire Downs with its gay cupolas, but its smell is 

 offensive. In the Lactarius group the folds are milky, 

 and the juice sharp and biting. The delicious Lactarias 

 (L. deliciosus) is very handsome, apricot coloured, de- 

 pressed in the centre, and of great size. Wherever it is 

 wounded, a red juice oozes, but this juice is not acrid. 

 This species is edible. I have found it in plantations 

 about Hawkhurst. 



The same woods also produce the magnificent Eed 

 Eussula (R. rubra, Plate XVII, f.<j. 15), the most 

 splendidly-coloured of the group. Here the cap is of 



