» exception must be allowed, and extended to one oF © 
380 _ CRYPTOGAMIA. 
The Lactescent, or milky juiced Agarics, at one time 
seemed to force themselves into observation, as laying 
claim to a well-founded subdivision; but further experience 
demonstrated, that neither those with a mild, nor thosewith 
an acrid milky juice, were invariably milky. This was” 
an unexpected circumstance, nor does it yet appear upon 
what it depends. Some plants, apparently healthy and 
be shall shew no signs of milk when wounded, 
whilst others of the same species on the same spot, and at 
the same time, shal! pour out their milk in abundance. Jt 
must be acknowledged, that this difference is not very — 
common, but it certainly does take place.* ee eee 
Such are the grounds of the present attempt to reduce 
the Agarics to a System ; an attempt, which, if established, 
will greatly facilitate the investigation of the species, and 
if it fail to merit the countenance of the public, will pro- 
bably give birth to another and a better. ae 
The author is sensible that some of the specific charac- 
ters may be thought too long, whilst a few may be found 
too short; but these cannot be ultimately adjusted ut 
the discovery of new species shall cease. That many new 
ones still remain to be ascertained, is highly probable, simee 
so many have occurred within his own observation, and — 
that of his correspondents, ae +3 See 
A few, and only a few exceptions have occurred to the 
general laws of the System; and it will be right to men- 
tion them here. The Agaricus velutipes, and the Ag. 
sulcatus, have such a striking resemblance, that they 
must be pronounced to be the same, were not the Stemt 
hollow in the one, and solid in the other. Can such a dif- 
ference of structure be supposed to exist in the same Spe- — 
cies ? If this question be answered in the affirmative, ‘the: 
“ . 
more of the minuter species. The other exception ¢e- 
pends upon the different colours of the Gills of the Aga 
cus aurantius. This sportive species disdains the rules 0» 
the System, and exists under almost every kind of colo 
that can be imagined; the chief variations, howevet, 
obviate difficulties, are inserted where the inve 
Botanist would be led to look for them. 3 
In the execution of the preceding plan, the refe 
to figures are not very numerous, because pecuilat © 
_ ® The Agaricus rubescens, and Agaricus aerampelinisy = 
instances of this kind of deviation. 
