THE PAGE OF NATURE. 257 



species mentioned in the paragraph quoted from Badham 

 are rather suspicious objects of food, and although they 

 may sometimes be taken with impunity, it is best~~as 

 a general rule to avoid them. The Agaricus niber, 

 for instance, is a remarkably beautiful and tempting- 

 looking fungus, having a rich orange or a rose-red cap 

 and snowy gills, but its taste is hot and acrid like that 

 of the mezereon or the cuckoo-pint. Though excellent 

 for food, if properly prepared, it is pronounced by 

 Trattinick to be very unwholesome in a raw state ; 

 and M. Roques' account of it is even more unfavourable. 

 The same objection applies to the Agaricus deliciosus, 

 said by Badham to remind him of tender lamb-kidneys. 

 The odour and taste of this Agaric are agreeable ; 

 but from the account of it given by M. Roques, it 

 would appear that, however delicious, it is not always 

 to be eaten with impunity. These two last mentioned 

 fungi belong to a very remarkable group of the genus 

 Agaricus, called Galorrheus, from the milky juice which 

 every part of them exudes when bruised or broken. 

 This milk is like that of the Euphorbia or spurge when 

 pierced, and like it too is frequently extremely acrid, 

 causing irritation and slight inflammation in the parts 

 with which it comes in contact. It is generally white, 

 like cow's milk, but in some species is variously coloured, 

 being of a bright orange in Agaricus deliciosus. Like the 

 milk in the laticiferous vessels of the flowering-plants, 

 such as lettuce, dandelion, chicory, and celandine, it ex- 

 hibits singular movements under the microscope. Minute 

 molecules are observed to move about in it with extreme 

 rapidity, exactly like those observable in gamboge mixed 



