CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI. 1035 



Upon the trunks of old trees frequent, at all fea- 

 fons of the year. 



It grows felTile and horizontal, and cor.fifts of a 

 very hard woody fubftance, in fhape like a 

 horfe's hoof, of various fizes, from a man's filt 

 to that of his head, or larger. 



The upper fide is fmooth but uneven, diftinguifhed 

 near the rim by elevated zones or different co- 

 lors, brown, grey, tawny, &c. 



The under fide is plain, either white or yellowifh, 

 and full of very minute pores, which turn 

 brown with age. The feeds are oval. 



The fieih or fubftance within is of a tawny brown 

 color, extremely hard and tough. 



It varies greatly in color, furface, thicknefs, and 

 deo-ree of hardnefs ; whence fome authors have 

 made many fpecies, but Linnaus comprehends 

 them all under one. 



An excellent touchwood is made from this Fun- 

 gus, by firft paring off the upper rind, then 

 boiling the remainder in lye, and afterwards 

 drying and pounding it with a hammer ; or 

 elfe only pounding and boiling it up with falt- 

 petre. 



The fame Fungus beaten out into foft fquare pie- 

 ces is well known to the furgeons by the name 

 of Agaric, and has been much celebrated for 

 {topping the bleeding of the arteries in ampu- 

 tations 



