REPORT OF THE BOTANIST. 67 
when dry (hygrophanous), and in such species, in the moist 
state, fine, radiating, parallel lines may sometimes be seen on the 
margin (striatulate). The Agaricini comprise by far the greater 
number of the larger, conspicuous, umbraculiform, fleshy fungi. 
Individual plants are generally of short duration, growing up 
ina few hours or days, and decaying as rapidly as they grow. 
They are more abundant toward the end of the season than in 
the beginning, and in wet weatherthan in dry. In long con- 
tinued dry weather, almost none can be found unless they be 
sought in deep wet marshes. In some seasons, therefore, they 
grow much more profusely than in others, and in deep woods 
and mountainous regions more abundantly than in open culti- 
vated districts. 
Unlike most other plants, they are seldom of a green color; 
red, brown, white and yellow, in an almost infinite variety of 
shading and blending, being the prevailing hues. The great 
beauty and variety of their colors, their singular and manifold 
forms (all, however, variations of a single type), their strangely 
peculiar habits, perishable nature and remarkable properties, 
all combine to make them objects of great interest. 
Many of them afford very savory and nutritious food, but 
some are reputed poisonous. Some that are acrid_or nauseous 
in the raw state become pleasant and edible by cooking. Vine- 
gar is known to have the power of abstracting the poisonous 
properties of the deleterious ones, so that from these two facts 
it is not improbable that, with proper preparation, nearly all 
Se ea 
our species may be made edible. 
SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA. 
Mao OLsL Ne latMMell OD UUBElis( xs o.<sic:n's) <is's)otcivra’a"e s w1o\s'sie aps o lelsialsyete sare vii. CANTHARELLUS. ~ 
Bdeeoi tae amelie ACU be i. iets orctn cls, <'-’eloynisseis, 21001) 1afaie) wie = 0,0'ele1.eicinie (foie. otaiel=(n\a'cialelejainieisiat= A. 
A. Plant fleshy, with a milky (rarely colored) juice............... vy. LACTARIUS. 
Ame lant Gd eshibute: Of, a, Mitl Kay GUL Oye fee c/s -tecie e's «c's. )eicisla.sle's,<\sia 4 sie) ei svele 01k lei wieietetetetete B. 
B. Lamelle of a waxy texture, with a watery juice....... iv. HyGROPHORUS. 
B. Lamelle dissolving into an inky fluid ....................... ii. COPRINUS. ~ 
se MaMell pon ALyeEPOVSISHOM bs cleistetatehe,se/4e ciel «| wielass esa © Sisystocsj«:<inisjaie, cisslsteels ilertelererars Cc. 
CPB ilens Heshiy, MULECSCOM aes uch iele osclnvotiesle ere ces se aie aya» ole <irosiaeeneee D. 
D. Trama vesiculose; spores white or yellow *.......... vi. RUSSULA. 
D. Trama filamentous; spores various..................- i. AGARICUS. 
D. Trama floccose; spores reddish ochre........... iii. CORTINARIUS. 
C. Pileus firm, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, persistent ........ Se coer EK. 
ep Miamellse: Gatiree sa yea os pale ctefaice s wlels oso aiaieiaiae viii. MARASMIUS. - 
He hameliaserrates tlibtiecs¢ «sc s\.< 40. cclcetls se Cores ae ix. LENTINUS. 
Genus— AGARICUS JZ. 
Gills membranaceous, persistent (not melting); trama fila- 
mentous, continuous with the substance of the pileus ; edge 
acute. Mleshy putrescent Fungi.—Berk. Outl. 
*The color of the spores may be determined by cutting a well-developed pileus 
from its stem and placing it in its natural position on white paper. In a few hours 
enough spores will descend upon the paper to show their color. White spores 
show best on black paper. Should the atmosphere be dry or the pileus thin, invert 
a goblet over the pileus. 
