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HISTORY of AGARICS, 



GROWING about HALIFAX. 



AG ARICUS Jlipitatus, pileo convexo fquamato albido, lameliis LII. 



rufis. Linn. Sp. PL 1641. campejlris. 



ESCULENT AGARIC, Mufhroom or Champignion. 



T A B. XLV. 



f~" j — ^HE root is furrounded with numerous fhort dawny fibres, 

 J[ of a greyifh colour. 



The ftem is folid, brittle, cylindrical, and white; while 

 young a little fwollen in the middle, and is large and thick in 

 proportion to the pileus. 



The curtain is white, of a dawny or cottony fubftance, 

 foon lacerates, falls off, and vanifhes. 



The gills in three feries, pointed at the bafe, not adhering 

 to the ftem ; at firft of a pale rofe colour, afterwards change to 

 a brown hue, and turn black in decay. 



The pileus while young is globular, generally fmooth and 

 white, fometimes tinged with a pale brown, and having an ap- 

 pearance of fcalinefs on its furface ; as it advances in age the rim 

 unfolds, till at laft it becomes nearly horizontal, changes byway 

 of buff colour to a dufky brown, and falls and withers in decay. 



Grows in pafture grounds, after much rain, in July and 

 Augujl, not in plenty about Halifax. 



This Agaric is in much requeft at table, having an excellent 

 flavour, and being accounted fafe. There are inftances, however, 

 on record, of its pernicious and fatal effects upon fuch as have 

 eaten largely of it; but it may be afked, whether thofe bad 

 effects were occafioned by a poifonous quality in the true mufh- 

 room, or by an error or overfight in the gatherer ? For the 

 Agaricus annulatus, which is efteemed poifonous, fo nearly re- 

 fembles the mufhroom in fome of its ftates, that I have feen it 

 gathered, by miftake, for that fpecies. The Agaricus vernalis 

 alfo, fometimes, nearly refembles it. 



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