OF BRITISH FUNGI. 11 



walnuts, of new meal, &c. ; while there are others 

 which, we must confess, have the odour of onions, of 

 garlic, of tainted meat, of fish, and equally unpleasant 

 substances ; and others, again, which are devoid of any 

 perceptible odour. Some persons are very fond of 

 tasting, and here they may gratify that propensity ; for 

 in fungi they will meet with a variety of flavours, some 

 of which will be calculated to please and others to 

 disgust. In the raw state, probably, the acrid or 

 unpleasant prevails in the majority of oases, for some 

 species which are pleasant when cooked have a very 

 acrid taste when eaten raw. The number of poisonous 

 species has, perhaps, been exaggerated ; but of these 

 there are many, and the dangerous properties of 

 a few are extremely virulent. We have always 

 imagined it prudent to taste unknown species with 

 caution, since we have learnt that some mycologists 

 having, perhaps, more enthusiasm than caution, have, 

 from merely tasting very virulent species, suffered 

 for some time afterwards considerable pain and in- 

 convenience. More especial reference will be made 

 hereafter to the species recommended as esculent, and 

 which may be found, in greater or less number, in our 

 own islands. 



As articles of food, fungi are certainly deserving of 

 more attention than they have hitherto received from 

 the majority of our countrymen. People widely sepa- 

 rated by mountains, oceans, or vast tracts of desert, 

 have been found employing certain species as delicacies. 

 Not only in China, as evidenced by the examples of 



