207 



Dr. BcLL said lie must lift, without hesitation, the gauntlet thus throwii 

 down, and he did so with good faith in his cause. He would at first say that 

 the scientific gentleman, to whom this mischance befel, called at his house the 

 next morning in a state of great anxiety. Dashing down on the table some 

 half dozen Boleti, his first words were: "Tell me, for Heaven's sake, tell me 

 what these are ?" with the air of a man who had poisoned a whole family at least ! 

 The Boleti themselves looked tolerably innocent, and, indeed, he would at once 

 take exception to both epithets used in the clever paper he had just read. 

 He knew Boletus luteus was not "excellent" to bis taste, however wholesome 

 it might be, and he did not believe that Boletus Jlavus was " a violent poison," 

 though somebody has said as much On making more exact inquiiies, it 

 seemed that three kinds of funguses had been partaken of, but that a portion 

 of this Boletus had pioduced violent sickness on a lady present. He wrote 

 himself immediately to Jlr. La Touche, and they would be glad to know that 

 the ill effects had quickly passed off. He would make no further reference to 

 ■fehis misadventure in any way, but would endeavour simply to meet the argu- 

 ipents so weU and pointedly brought against "the gentlemen at the bar." 



"They are noted bad characters," it is said. Doubtless this is so in our 

 own dear little prejudiced island, where riches abound and good food is plentiful ; 

 and be it added, where that which is most costly is sometimes the most highly 

 esteemed ; but throughout all Europe the character of many of them is mos' 

 excellent. They form the staple article of the food of the people for weeks 

 and months in the year, and millions of witnesses would raise their voices in 

 their favour, Some of them are equally well known for their bad qualities, 

 and the effort to remove this local prejudice, to render justice to the good, and 

 to point out the evU, was a matter of duty to a Naturalists' Field Club. Tlie 

 mixture of good and bad belongs to all societies and tribes. To learn to distinguish 

 them is ever an object in hfe, and the introduction to an individual "of doubt- 

 ful character" be he man, or be he fungus, oiight only to be used as a means of 

 avoiding him for the future. For example he begged for himself most decidedly 

 to decline the acquaintance of Boletus Satanas as an article of diet; as he did 

 also with equal determination tkat of Boletus luridus ; yet for their own brother 

 Btletus edulis, — delicate in flavour, sweet, nutty and good — he had a high 

 esteem. Broiled or fried with butter, pepper and salt, he would say to this one 

 " Yes, if you please, I am delighted to fall in with you at breakfast, at luncheon, 

 or at dinner" (laughter). 



All edible funguses are certainly more or less rich, and delicate stomachs 

 had better avoid them, but it would be rather hard lines, nevertheless, for delicate 

 stomachs to lay down the law for those that are not so. If salmon and cu- 

 cumber, or nuts and pox't wine don't agree with you, my dear sir, pray don't 

 take them ; but surely that is no reason why we should not enjoy them who 

 can do so with equal pleasure and safety. 



He thought the word " caution" had been rather misused. If you know what 

 is good and wholesome, be "prudent" and eat moderately, and then there 



