OF BRITISH FUNGI. 61 



we meet, during the autumn, with the Maned Agaric 

 (Coprinus comatus), commanding attention by its 

 singular and graceful form. It rises from the ground 

 like a cylinder with a rounded end, and afterwards the 

 cap opens to the size and shape of a hand-bell. The 

 whole surface is delicate and silky, and the cap, tinged 

 with brown at the top and greyish at the base, soon 

 becomes covered with scales as of entangled threads. 

 The stem is of a glossy unsullied whiteness, tall, 

 tapering upwards, and hollow within. The narrow 

 ring which surrounds the stem is seldom fixed. The 

 gills are very close together, and are at first pinkish, 

 passing through shades of purple and brown to black. 

 The substance of the hymenophorum, or that portion 

 of the pileus on which the gills are situated, is very 

 thin, and soon becomes torn and split at the margin. In 

 this state probably its name originated (coma, a wig), 

 for it bears a fancied resemblance to a wig upon a barber's 

 block. This species is so rapidly deliquescent, that 

 while standing, or more speedily if gathered, it melts 

 away drop by drop, and is soon converted into a black 

 fluid resembling ink ; and indeed this resemblance is so 

 complete, that it may readily be employed as a substitute ; 

 all that is required being to boil and strain it, and add 

 a small quantity of corrosive sublimate to prevent its 

 turning mouldy. There is generally no difficulty in pro- 

 curing them for this or any other purpose at the proper 

 season. During the past autumn they have been 

 exceedingly abundant in some places, especially in the 

 gardens of Chelsea Hospital. If gathered young, they 

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