445 



The sweet odours that load the moist autumnal air from various 

 Fungi, is a pleasing feature of the season that often attracts the 

 attention of the botanical wanderer, whose nose is perhaps oftener 

 called into requisition with the " fungous fruits of earth" than even 

 with the loftier flowery tribes A fungologist should be able to "hark 

 forward " when he comes upon " the scent ;" and thus I here disco- 

 vered, almost hidden from view among the grass and bushes, a most 

 elegant group of the delicate, green-tinted Agaricus odorus. This 

 species long retains its hay-like smell ; and several other agarics may 

 be hunted up in the same way. There is something exciting in thus 

 tracking a plant by its trail, and penetrating to its hidden retreat. 

 But lam often "at fault" with the strong-smelling Phallus, which 

 throws off its odour most powerfully a little distance from its seat. 



On turf within the plantation, in various spots, Boletus edulis ap- 

 peared in such abundance, that any vegetarian having faith in Dr. 

 Badham's Apician account of the delicious relishes to be obtained 

 from our edible Fungi, which he compares to custards, lamb's kid- 

 neys, oysters, &c., might here have lived in clover for a month, as 

 I noted the B. edulis still coming up plentifully on the 2nd of 

 November. 



I observed some large and dense rhigs of agarics on the side of the 

 hill ; and one of these, which was very perfect, was composed of the 

 sweet-scented A. Prunulus. It was fifteen yards in diameter, and 

 included within its confines a number of larch and fir-trees, apparently 

 of about twelve or fourteen years' growth, if not more, as they grew 

 rather close together. Another wide, extending ring, probably of A. 

 grammopodius, enclosed several firs and large hawthorns. Now both 

 these agaric-circles were very entire, broad, and well covered; and if, 

 as generally supposed, these rings commenced originally with a single 

 agaric, and a small circle was " disseminated by spores all round," as 

 intimated by Dr. Badham, it seems difficult to imagine how the 

 increasing ring could have passed the trees without several gaps and 

 eccentricities being made in its shape, which could scarcely have 

 amalgamated again. If, on the other hand, it be thought that the 

 trees were planted within the existing rings, that would assign to them 

 a considerable age, and a very slow rate of increase, if, indeed, any 

 at all. 



How long " fairy-rings," which are more or less tenanted with some 

 species of agaric, will last seems not very well determined. They 

 certainly continue a long time. 



