^Z^ FUNGI. 



Fungi occur of all colours, except pure green ; in such as are 

 green, the tint always more or less inclines to that of verdigris, 

 and does not appear to he owing to the action of light and 

 oxygen upon the contents of the cells, as is probably the case 

 in Lichens. This circumstance Fries, in the Introduction to 

 his Lichenographia Europcea^ is inclined to consider as most 

 important and the main distinguishing feature between the two 

 orders. Two others have been proposed, that there is no 

 successive development of parts, and that tliere is no external 

 sporuliferous disc; both of which points, especially the latter, 

 are opposed by numerous obvious exceptions. Nor does the 

 distinction, that they increase by addition to the inside, appear 

 better founded. 



Their qualities are various, many are used very extensively 

 as articles of food, a few are endowed with valuable medicinal 

 properties, numbers are highly poisonous, and the ravages of 

 several in dock-yards, corn-fields, orchards, &c., are incalculable. 

 A few possess the remarkable property of exhaling hydrogen 

 gas. Some, however, exhale carbonic-acid gas and inhale 

 oxygen. 



Tannin, though prejudical to phsenogamous plants, is certainly 

 harmless, if not beneficial, to many Fungi. One fungous pro- 

 duction indeed, referred by authors to the obscure genus 

 Rhizomorpha, originates in tan-pits. 



In this country, Fungi are so generally objects of prejudice 

 and disgust, that their real importance as useful productions, is 

 Httle appreciated. With the exception of the common Mush- 

 room, scarcely a single species o^ Agaric is in general accurately 

 /distinguished, and though many speak of another kind, under 

 the name of Champignon, there are iew persons who know 

 what to gather, and tlie fatal mistakes which have in conse- 

 quence been made, have increased the disinclination to the use 

 of any but the Mushroom. Truffles and Morels are so local and 

 scarce, that they are by no means generally known, seldom 

 appearing at common tables, and probably the greater part of 

 what are sold is imported. Agaricus Georgii, A. personatus and 

 ^A. jjrocerus are occasionally brought to Covent Garden Market, 

 but their consumption is quite trifling, boletus edulis, which 

 is a most abundant and excellent species, is I believe altogether 

 unknown, and the same may be said of several approved kinds, 

 which, on the continent, are in constant use and regularly 

 exposed for sale. Indeed in many parts of Europe, but espe- 

 cially Poland and Russia, they form a most important part of 

 the food of the common people, and in the latter country, whole 

 tribes are mainly supported by them, scarcely any species, 

 except the du?ig and Jig Agarics, being rejected. Even those 

 kinds which are elsewhere refused by common consent, as 



