HABITATS. 235 



Of special habitats, wo may alluclo to Nyctalis, of which 

 Iho species are parasitic on dead fungi belonging to the genus 

 Russula. One or two species of Ayaricus, such as Agaricus 

 iulcrosus and Agaricus raccmosus, P., grow on decaying 

 Agarics, whilst Agaricus Lovcianus flourishes on Agaricus 

 nebulari* even before it is thoroughly decayed. A few species 

 grow on dead fir cones, others on old ferns, &c. Ayaricus 

 crpoeslipes, Sow., probably of exotic origin, grows on old tan in 

 hothouses. Agaricus caulicinalis. Bull, flourishes on old thatch, 

 HB ^ ell as twigs, &c. Agaricus juncicola, Fr., affects dead , 

 rushes in boggy places, whilst Agaricus affricatus, Fr., and/ 

 Agaricus sphagnicola, B., are attached to bog moss in similar , 

 localities. Some few species are almost confined to the stems of 

 herbaceous plants. Agaricus pctasalus, Fr., Agaricus cucumis, P.,', 

 and Paxillus panuoides, F., have a preference for sawdust. 

 Agaricus carpophi?H9, Fr., and Agaricus lalanivus, P., have a 

 predilection for beech mast. Agaricus urticcecola, B. and Br., 

 seems to confine itself to nettle roots. Coprinus radians, Fr., 

 makes its appearance on plaster walls, Coprinus domcsticus, Fr., 

 on damp carpets. The only epizoic species, according to M. 

 Fries, is Agaricus ccrussattis v. iiauseosus, which has been met 

 with in Russia on the carcase of a wolf; this, however, might 

 have been accidental. Persoon described Agaricus NeapoUianus, 

 which was found growing on coffee-grounds at Naples ; and 

 more recently Viviani has described another species, Agaricus 

 Cq/Fca, with rose-coloured spores, found on old fermenting coffee- *" 

 grounds at Genoa.* Tratinnick figures a species named Aga- 

 ricus Markii, which was found in wine casks in Austria. A 

 Coprinus has, both in this country and on the Continent, been 

 found, after a very short time, on the dressing of wounds, vvhero 

 there has been no neglect. A curious case of this kind, which 

 at the time excited great interest, occurred some fifty years since 

 at St. George's Hospital. Some species appear to confine them- 

 selves to particular trees, some to come up by preference on soil 

 in garden pots. Certain species have a solitary, others a gre- 

 garious habit, and, of the latter, Agaricus grammopodius. Bull, 

 * Viviani, " I Funglii d'ltalia." 



