in Greek and Latin Authors. 33 



rently identified the species as the B. edulis. Mr. Bicknell, 

 who travelled in North Italy this last autumn, says this fun- 

 gus is the one most commonly sold in Italy at present. In 

 the market of Bergamo it was sold at 40 c. per pound ; at 

 Brescia it was ten cents dearer. In Florence and Parma 

 there was no other fungus. He adds that when cooked they 

 are usually filled with bread-crumbs, and that they may be 

 bought in almost any grocer's shop. It is probable that the 

 ancient suillus included, besides B. edulis, B. scaber, which is 

 also very common in the Italian markets and is also known 

 by the name of porcinello, or " the little- pig fungus." 



The suillus has an historical interest attaching to it similar 

 to that which attaches itself to the boletus. Pliny calls it a 

 genus " venenis accommodatissimum," and refers to the case 

 of the poisoning of Anneus Serenus and a whole lot of 

 guests ; it is probable that the suillus was the medium for 

 introducing some poison of a foreign nature into the dish in 

 which it appeared at table *, just as was the case with the 

 boletus which poisoned Claudius Cassar. Anneus Serenus 

 was an intimate friend of Seneca, and his death is referred to 

 in one of the moralist's epistles (Ep. 63) in very touching 

 language ; but he does not say a word about the cause of his 

 friend's death. Tacitus speaks of the part which Serenus 

 played in regard to Nero's passion for a freedwoman named 

 Acte, which enraged Agrippina and filled her with burning 

 hatred. Serenus took Nero's part. Tacitus says nothing 

 about the death of Serenus. This rests on the sole authority 

 of Pliny ; but seeing that Agrippina had already poisoned 

 her husband Claudius, it is quite probable that she resorted to 

 a similar mode of getting rid of Serenus and the tribunes, and 

 that she introduced poison into a dish of suilli or Boletus 

 edulis. The picture which Pliny sarcastically draws of the 

 voluptuaries of the day is very graphic. Amber knives and 

 silver service alone were good enough for preparing or setting 

 on table these fungi, the preparation of which by the hands 

 of the rich magnates themselves afforded an anticipatory feast 

 of the dainties ! 



If the fashion of eating these fungi arose, as Pliny seems 

 to say, in the time of the Roman emperors, many of whom 

 were always eager for any fresh introduction to the luxuries of 



cats (common variety) refuses all mushrooms and other furjgi, and seems to 

 say to its Persian companion " Persicos odi, puer, apparatus," when such 

 " apparatus " is a fungus. 



* Badham considers that this case of poisoning was accidental : I inter- 

 pret Pliny's account as intimatiug determined purpose. 



Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 5. Vol. xv. 3 



