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reasonably permanent as any other character, for absolute permanency is a dream 

 of the past; "slowly acrid," "mild then acrid," will always suffer some 

 interpretation akin to non-recognition, a sort of neutral character, of no intrinsic 

 value. Faint odours and uncertain tastes are valueless, except to mislead, and 

 this implies condemnation of the method adopted by some persons in making it to 

 form part of their characteristic diagnosis of new species that its "odour reminds 

 one of the rose," or "faintly aromatic," or "calling to mind the perfume of 

 melilot." These are all very well to put in a foot note, but they are too volatile 

 and uncertain for a diagnosis, and certainly are out of place in such a genus as 

 Russula, where, with the single exception of Russula fcetens, decided odours, 

 except the fishy odour associated with decay, are generally conspicuous by their 

 absence. 



Unfortunately, throughout Bussula, spore character is of the most limited 

 value in specific identification. There is such a close similarity that the minute 

 distinction of one or two micromillemetres is practically useless. The common 

 type of a rough sub-globose siwre of about 10 ^u prevails, seldom, perhaps, com- 

 pletely globose, but seldom exceeding more than 1 to 2 /* in one direction over the 

 other. The occasional occurrence of a species with entirely smooth spores, if 

 confirmed at all ages, would be exceptional, and add to the value of the character. 

 Colours of gills and sjiores require more careful consideration than some of 

 us have given to them. The decided gills of Hussula lutea, Hussula ai-meniaca, 

 and Hussula drimeia, with some others, could not be overlooked, but there are 

 species, several of them, including some forms of Russula Integra, in which living 

 and vigorous plants show no tinge of yellow when gathered, but after resting all 

 night and drying, the gills and the deposited spores will exhibit too decided an 

 ochraceous tint to bo disregarded. It scarcely need be said that we hold no doubt 

 on this point, that the colour of the spores, if a decided colour and not a faint 

 tinge, can never be disregarded. The same species, however similar in other 

 respects, cannot be accepted with white and with ochraceous spores ; perhajjs 

 each section of the genus, as recognized by Fries, would be much better, for 

 working purposes, if divided, as the Fragiles section is divided, into sub-sections 

 Leucospori and Xanlhospori. In passing, it may be urged that it does not follow that 

 because the gills have, or seem to have, a tinge of colour, the spores are necessarily 

 coloured. There are instances in which the gills are tinted more or less, but the 

 spores are as white as in species which have permanently white gills. 



The colour of the pileus deserves some remark. It has been considered 

 hitherto that colour in the pileus is so very variable in this genus that it is abso- 

 lutely valueless. No doubt this idea originated in the days when all Russuke 

 came under one or two species. Ultimately we venture to think that colour 

 will be accepted to be as permanent in Russula as in Amanita or Hygrophorus : 

 taking "permanent" to mean persistency in the same tones of colour in the 

 different species. Many of the colours are very bright, and in some instances are 

 confined to a thin cuticle, so that decoloration, more than usual, may be looked for, 

 but this is a discharge of colour, and not an alteration of colour. And to a 

 limited extent the turning yellow or the darkening of tints by age, moisture, or 



