10 A PLAIN AND EASY ACCOUNT 



Odours are manifestly agreeable, or disagreeable, to 

 a considerable extent, according to the taste of the 

 inhaler ; but it must be confessed that some of the 

 fungi exhale an odour so intolerably foetid, that no set 

 of olfactory nerves coulJ be found to endure it longer 

 than was absolutely necessary. A lady having found 

 a specimen of the truly elegant, but rare, Clathrus, set 

 about making a sketch of it ; but, notwithstanding her 

 urgent desire to accomplish the task, she was compelled 

 to have the fungus removed from the house before her 

 sketch was finished. 



A gentleman of our acquaintance, during a stroll 

 through Darenth Wood, met with a specimen of the 

 common stinkhorn {Phallus impudicus), which, having 

 deposited in his sandwich-box and consigned to his 

 pocket, he designed to take home and examine. For 

 some time he had become conscious of an unpleasant 

 odour ; but it was not until he had entered the railway- 

 carriage, to return to town, that he discovered the 

 true source. Everybody in the compartment com- 

 plained, and wondered what could be the cause, and 

 quitted it as soon as an opportunity offered. Nothing 

 but a resolute determination to make a drawing and 

 section of the fungus could have prevented our friend 

 throwing away stinkhorn and sandwich -box long ere 

 his arrival in town ; but, in this instance, botanical 

 enthusiasm overcame all physical difficulties. 



The foetid or unpleasant odour is not, however, uni- 

 versal in fungi. There are some which have the scent 

 of tarragon^ of new-mown hay, of violets, of anise, of 



