CRYPTOGAMIA. 499 



thing. The genus Facus lias received 

 more bolaiiical attention than the rest of 

 this tribe, and the works of Gniehn, Esper, 

 Stackhouse and Vellcy have ascertained 

 many species, which tiie labours of Dr. 

 Goodenough, Mr. Woodward and Mr. 

 Turner have reduced to systematic order. 

 Still a more perfect combination of the 

 skill of the painter and the botanist is to 

 be desired, relative to the genus in question, 

 and this is about to be supplied by the 

 Historia Fuconim of the writer last men- 

 tioned, and his friend Mr. \y. J. Hooker. 



5. Fungi, Mushrooms. These cannot pro- 

 perly be said to have any herbage. Their 

 substance is fleshy, generally of quick 

 grow^th and short duration, differing in 

 firmness, from a watery pulp to a leathery 

 or even woody texture. By some na- 

 turalists they have been thought of aii 

 animal nature, chiefly because of their 

 foetid scent in decay, and because little 

 white bodies like eoos are found in them 

 at that period. But these are truly the 

 eggs of flies, laid there by the parent in- 

 2 K 2 



