BOLETUS. 



BOLTENIA. 



B. lutuitm (Linnscus) u one of the most beautiful and largest specie* 

 of the genii*, and i not uncommon. It U about a quarter of an inch 

 long. The head u black ; the antenna; hare the three basal joint* 

 yellow, the remaining black, with the exception of the terminal joint, 

 which U yellow ; the thorax and legs are yellow ; the wing-canon are 

 of a blue-black colour, with an oblique yellow spot on the shoulders ; 

 the body ii yellow, with the apex black. 



About eighteen specie* of this genus have been found in thU 

 country, almost all of which are varied with yellow and black. 

 Many have the wing-canon yellow, with two black spots, one on each 

 side of the apex ; some have also the region of the scutelluin black. 



(Stephens, ItluXratiotu of BrilM Entomology.) 



BOLETUS, an extensive genus of Fungi, consisting, according to 

 the old botanists, of leathery masses, which are sometimes of consider- 

 able thickness, and having the spores lodged in tubes which occupy 

 the same situation as the plates in the gills (or hymeuium) of the 

 common mushroom. Fries, the great modern describer of fungi, 

 defines the genus thus : Hymenium formed of a peculiar substance, 

 altogether distinct from the cap, entirely composed of tubes united 

 into a porous layer; these tubes are undivided, separable from each 

 other, long, cylindrical, or angular, open from end to end, and bear 

 asci (spore-cases) on their inside ; asci cylindrical, with small roundish 

 spores ; the stalk U central, and often netted ; the cap is fleshy, soft, 

 spread out into a hemispherical form ; veil present in many of them. 

 He includes within his definition but a small number of the old Boleti, 

 referring the principal part to Potyjioriu, which is especially charac- 

 terised by having the tubes of its hyiiioniuin inseparable from the cap, 

 which is more leathery, and usually without a stalk. 



EoMiu luleiu. 



The true Boleti are generally found growing on the ground in woods 

 and meadows, especially in pin.' woods : the Polypori are commonly 

 met with on trees, especially pollards. Of the former, several species 

 are eatable, u B. nlulit, B. tcalxr, B. mtbtomtntoius, and B. granulatiu ; 

 others are acrid and dangerous. Of these Dr. Bodham, who has 

 written on the Esculent Funguses of England, recommends only 

 B. edulu and B. tcabtr. 



B. tdulii, the Edible Boletus, has the following characters : Pileus 

 or cap from nix to seven inches across, smooth, with a thick margin 

 varying in colour from light brown or bronze to bay, dark brown, or 

 black, or a mixture of all these colours ; the epidermis firmly adhe- 

 rent to the flesh, which is fine, and except the part in inn 

 contact with the skin, white ; the under surface of the cap nearly flat, 

 often presenting a circular pit or depression round the stalk ; the 

 tubes at first white, then yellow, lastly of an olive or yellow green 

 tint, in the earlier stage of their growth closed ; afterwards as the cap 

 expands stopped up with a waxy-looking material of a dirty pearl- 

 colour ; stem varying much in shape at different periods of the growth 

 of the Boletus, always thick and solid, at first white but soon changing 

 to fawn-colour, beautifully netted with reticulations. As the period 

 of the ripening of the spores advances the under part of the cap 

 swells, the waxy matter is absorbed, the tubes present deep and 

 rounded orifices to the i-yr, mid mil nn ochreous green dust, which 

 consisU of sporules. After this the whole fungus becomes flaccid, 

 the tubes turn to a dirty green, and decomposition rapidly proceeds. 



This Boletus grows in woods consisting of pines, oaks, or chestnuts; 

 it is most abundant in autumn, but occurs in spring and summer. 

 Dr. Radham says of other Fungi likely to be comfouuded with it : 

 " The B. coifanctu, which bears some little resemblance to it, is at once 

 distinguished by having a cottony fibrilloae stem without reticulations, 



a downy cap, and dirty yellow dust : neither can it be confounded 

 with the B. mbtomentotui or B. luridtu, because in addition to many 

 other points of difference, both these change colour on being cut or 

 bruised." As an article of diet, Dr. Radham says " It imparts a relish 

 alike to the homely hash and the dainty ragout, and may be truly said 

 to improve every dish of which it is a constituent." 



B. tcaber has a cap from three to seven inches across the surface, 

 which becomes viscid when moist and is invariably downy. There are 

 two varieties, in one of which the pileus U of a beautiful deep orange 

 hue and the stem black. In the other the pileus is gray and the stem 

 covered with orange scales. The flesh is thick and flabby, of a dingy 

 white, not greatly changeable in young specimens, but deepening in 

 colour when old. It is not so agreeable as the last species. 



B. vfficinalit, supposed to have been the 'Ajapuciir of Dioscorideo, U 

 an old-fashioned medicine remarkable for the extreme acridity of its 

 powder ; it octu as a powerful purgative, but is never employed at the 

 present day. 



B. igniaritu, when dried and sliced, furnishes the German Tinder, 

 or Amadou, a leathery substance sold in the tobacconists' shops. 

 [AMADOU.] 



B. Jfttructor is one of the many species of Fungi the ravages of 

 which arc too well known under the name of Dry Rot. Their destruc- 

 tive qualities are not however caused by the fructification, orthe|*rt 

 which we commonly consider the fungus itself, but by the ramifica- 

 tions through the substance of the wood of what botanista call the 

 Thallus and gardeners the Spawn of such plants, which is in effect 

 their stem and root in a mixed state. Other sjiecics of Fungi produce 

 dry n>t. [MKiu'i.ir.s.] 



BOLITOTHACrs (Kabricius), Elcdona of Latreille, Leach, and 

 Millard, and Opatrmn of some other authors, a genus of Coleopterous 

 Insects of the section Ucleromeia and family Tcntlirionida. Tli< 

 cipal generic characters are as follows : Head short, partially hidden 

 by the thorax, in the males sometimes armed with a horn or tubercle ; 

 antennae very short and thick, the three or four apical joints much 

 broader than the rest ; maxillary palpi rather large and distinct, the 

 terminal joint truncated, its length equalling that of the two preceding 

 joints ; labial palpi small ; thorax coarsely punctured or rugose, the 

 lateral margins more or less toothed ; elytra deeply striated ; legs 

 short and thick, the anterior tibiae compressed. 



There are about six species of this genus known : they live in Bold!, 

 and are of a small size, a short ovate form, and their prevailing colours 

 ore brown-black. In this country but one species has as yet been dis- 

 covered, B. Agaricola or Agaricicola. It is of a brown colour, ami 

 about one-twelfth of an inch long. It is rather local, but where it does 

 occur it is found in tolerable abundance. 



BOLOGNA SPAR, a variety of Sulphate of Barytas. [BARYTES.] 



BOLSOVER STONE. The yellow limestone of Bolsover in Derby- 

 shire is used in the construction of the new Houses of Parliament It 

 was selected for its durability, strength, fitness for ornamental work, 

 and colour. It is a combination of carbonate of magnesia witli car- 

 bonate of lime [DOLOMITE] in small granular crystals, without the 

 slightest trace of organisation, flinty nodules, or other blemishes. It 

 has been subjected to various and severe mechanical pressures, clnmi 

 cal re-agents, Ac., and has sustained them with credit ; but it is yet to 

 be seen whether it can withstand the atmosphere of London, which 

 has destroyed the Bath and Portland Oolites. Many other public 

 buildings in England have been built with stone from the same forma- 

 tion, which is called Magnesian Limestone. 



BOLTE'NIA, a subgenus of Aicitlitlir, a family of the group TVni- 

 nttu, which, according to W. S. M'Lcuy, are the animals that connect 

 the Acrita, or lowest primary .livi.-imi ..(' the animal kingdom, with 

 the Mullutca, from which he observes they differ in the following 

 points : first, in having an external covering consisting of an envelope 

 distinctly organised and provided with two apertures, of which 

 branchial, the other anal ; secondly, in their mantle forming an inter- 

 nal tunic corresponding to the outer covering or test, ami provided 

 like it with two openings ; and thirdly, in having branchial which 

 occupy all or at least part of the membranous cavity formed l>y tin- 

 internal sides of the mantle. From the Acrita the Tunirata. (or / 

 brnnchiata, as De Blainville calls them) differ in having distinct 

 nervous and generative systems, while their intestinal canal is pro- 

 vided with two openings, both internal. [TtJNlCATA.] 



The following is the generic character of BoUenia (Savigny) as 

 reformed by M'Leay : Body with a coriaceous test, supported from 

 the summit by a long pedicle, and having both orifices lateral and 

 cleft into four rays. Branchial pouch divided into longitudinal folds, 

 surmounted by a circle of compound tentaculn. ami having the reti- 

 culation of its respiratory tissue simple ; abdomen lateral ; ovary 

 multiple. 



There are three species recorded, namely, B. ottfera, B. futi- 

 formii, and B. rcnifurmit. 



The following is M'Leay'* character and description of B. rent- 

 formii (Atcidia globiftra, Sabine, A. clarata, Fabricius) : Obscure, 



