214 BEPOKT OF THE eTA.TE BOTANIST 



it acts as a cathartic if eaten in small quantity, but causes death if 

 eaten freelv. One of my o«'n correspondents assures mo that he 

 has eaten of the yello\\^ variety, Ydjc.formosa, Fig. 6, without 

 evil results, and that he regards it as very good. But there 

 is no disputing the fact that the species possesses intoxicating 

 and poisonous properties. It has long had the reputation 

 of possessing properties fatal to flies that sip its juice. 

 This suggests the names muscaria, FJy amanita, Fly agaric and 

 FJy hiller by which- it is known. I have myself seen the cap oi 

 a single specimen surrounded by a circle of lifeless flies that had 

 sipped the viscid juice from its moist surface and fallen victims 

 to its virulent properties before leaving the place of their fatr.l 

 repast. 



Some have attempted an explanation of the contradictory 

 statements concerning this plant by supposing that its poisonous 

 properties are not always developed, that in some localities or 

 under some favorable circumstances it is harmless. This explana- 

 tion violates our sense of the constancy of Nature, and is not 

 at all satisfactory. In the case of my own correspondent, the 

 caps were peeled before cooking. May it not be that much of 

 the noxious quality resides in the epidermis and the viscid sub- 

 stance upon it, and that by discarding this the dish is rendered 

 less dangerous? In some instances may it not be true that it 

 was eaten in too limited quantity to produce evil consequences ? 

 In some cases it is said that those who eat it freely and without 

 harm boil it a long time in water and throw away the water. 

 In this way, doubtless, much of the poison is abstracted. Long 

 soaking in salt and water, also in vinegar, have been recom- 

 mended as a means of rendering suspected or noxious species 

 harmless, and may have been practiced in some of the cases in 

 which this fungus has been eaten with impunity.* "Whatever 

 may be the explanation of the contradictory statements, the only 

 safe way is to consider this species as deleterious and avoid its 

 use under all circumstances. There is no need cf taking any 

 risks with suspected species, since there are so many good ones 

 against which no charge of evil has ever been established. 



* Since this was written anotlier correspondent writes that he has eaten as many as four caps 

 c( the yellowith form of this species at one meal and without any evil consequences, and that 

 the caps were not peeled. Thi? makes pertinent the question, is this variety, indeed, a distinct 

 and harmless species? It scarcely teems possible that the liifterent experiences are explainable 

 by reason of Individual Idiosyncrasy, or by variation in the properties of the plant 



