42 A PLAIN AND EASY ACCOUNT 



with the stem, down which the attenuated gills de- 

 scend in a decurrent manner. In this group we have 

 an esculent species. 



The true A. prunulus has the disadvantage of being 

 often robbed of its good name. It is an autumnal 

 species found growing in woods. The pileus is fleshy 

 and either white or some pale shade of grey. The gills 

 are rather distant from each other and whitish or flesh- 

 coloured, decurrent, or running down the solid stem. 

 The odour resembles that which one experiences on 

 entering a flour-mill. There can be no doubt that it is 

 a very good esculent species, but the confusion of this 

 and A . gambosus under the same name has perhaps 

 led some to attribute to it part of the honour due to its 

 rival. In our plate the species named A. prunulus 

 is the St. George's mushroom (A. gambosus), the latter 

 being a vernal, and the former an autumnal species. 



Three other sub-genera complete the division of 

 Agarics in which the spores are salmon-coloured ; these 

 are, Leptonia, Nolanea, and Eccilia. 



In Leptonia the stem has a cartilaginous bark. The 

 margin of the pileus is at first curved inwards, and the 

 gills divide away from the stem. 



In Nolanea the stem is cartilaginous, but instead of 

 being curved at first, the margin of the pileus is straight, 

 and closely pressed to the stem. 



In Eccilia the stem is also cartilaginous, and the 

 pileus at first inflexed at the margin ; the gills are at- 

 tenuated behind, and truly decurrent, or running down 

 the stem. Until very lately, it was not known that this 



