FUNGI. 21 



would he found to blame. Not less relentless than the Socra- 

 tean hemlock, its insidious alkaloid stealthily clasps its victim 

 in a grip that scarce knows mercy. The poison of Ama7iita has 

 in some cases been counteracted, in earl}^ stages of an attack, 

 by minute hypodermic injections of atropine sulphate.^- 



''Amanihr,'' relates Charles Mcllvaine, "are the most 

 beautiful and conspicuous of fungi. While there are com- 

 paratively few species of them, the individual members are 

 plentiful in appearing from spring until the coming of frost. 

 They are solitar}' or gregarious in growth. Occasionally two 

 or three are found together. They frequent woods, groves, 

 copse, margins of woods and land recently cleared of trees. 

 The}' are seldom found in open fields. A careful study of all 

 their botanic points should be the first duty of the student of 

 fungi. Familiarity with ever)'- characteristic of the Amanita; 

 will insure against fatal toadstool poisoning, for it is the well- 

 grounded belief of those who have made thorough investiga- 

 tion that, with the exception of Helvella esculenta, now Gyro- 

 miira csadenta, the A))ia>iitcr, alone, contain deadly poison. 



" The}^ are the aristocrats of fungi. Their noble bearing, 

 their beauty, their power for good or evil, and above all their 

 perfect structure, have placed them first in their realm ; and 

 they proudly bear the thi-ee badges of their clan and rank — 

 the volva or sheath from which they spring, the kid-like apron 

 encircling their waists, and patch marks of their high birth 

 upon their caps. 



" The Amanita; are of all colors, from the brilliant orange 

 of the Amanita Casaiea, the rich scarlet or crimson of A. 

 viuscaria, to the pure while of the A. plialloidcs in its white 

 form." t 



A prominent writer has fittingly observed : " It is exceed- 



* Reported bv Dr. J. K. Scliaille, vSlienandoali, Pa., August, 1S85. 



fTlie color of the pileus of A. phalloides is quite variable, white and 

 brown being the prevailing effects. A familiar case of color phasing in 

 birds occurs in the screech owl, whose plumage may be red or gray. 



