56 A PLAIN AND EASY ACCOUNT 



It is sometimes called the Parrakeet Mushroom (H. psit- 

 tacinus), and its tints are generally bright, combining 

 parrot-like hues; whence its cognomen has been derived. 



The third edible species (H. eburneus) cannot be so 

 well recommended as either of the others, to the first of 

 which it bears some resemblance, but may be distin- 

 guished from it by the glandular scales with which the 

 upper portion of the stem is dotted. This is also 

 common, but prefers woody localities, and betrays a 

 foxy tint as it decays. Did it not flourish in a different 

 situation, there would at least be no dangerous results 

 from confounding the species. 



To these might be added still another species 

 {H. niveus), which so nearly resembles H. virgineus 

 that it may not ultimately prove to be specifically dis- 

 tinct from it. It is, moreover, much smaller, being 

 sometimes so insignificant that it would appear absurd 

 to talk of cooking it, notwithstanding that it is very 

 common in pastures. Whenever found large enough, 

 it may be eaten with H. virgineus, from which the 

 amateur will find a difficulty in distinguishing it. 



The group of Agarics now classed together as a genus 

 under the name of Lactarius, are distinguished by the 

 presence of a milky fluid, from whence the generic 

 name has been derived. This fluid is commonly at 

 first white, but in one instance it is coloured. In certain 

 of the British species this milk is acrid, and the fungi 

 of that group are not only valueless as food, but many 

 of them are decidedly injurious. There are but two 

 out of nearly thirty species which can be recommended 



