348 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF FUNGI 



down the stem. Then, also, it should be shown if the stem is 

 solid or hollow. A little colouring, even if not artistic, would 

 be more useful than mere description of general appearance. 

 Of no less importance is the addition of notes, giving such 

 particulars as cannot be conveyed by the sketch, and these 

 would embrace a statement of habitat, whether growing on the 

 ground or on wood. Amongst other details it should be stated 

 whether the pileus was dry or moist and glutinous, whether 

 the odour was agreeable or fetid or indistinct, whether the 

 taste was mild or acrid and pungent, and whether the gills 

 exhibited any tendency to deliquesce. Finally, if the drawing 

 was not coloured, then the colour of the pileus and stem must 

 be indicated as explicitly as possible, and not vaguely, as red, 

 brown, or gray, but what particular tone of each colour, whether 

 bright red or dull red, dark red or light red, vermilion or 

 crimson, and so on, with any other colour, so that at any time 

 the sketch might be completed in colour and made to represent 

 the species. 



Having done this, the next step would be to utilise the 

 specimen itself, supposing it to be an Agaric, by cutting a thin 

 slice from the section of the pileus and stem, laying it upon 

 blotting-paper to dry ; the half stem may then be removed and 

 laid to dry, in order to represent the outer surface of the stem ; 

 and then the gills and flesh of the half pileus may be cut away 

 so as only to leave a little of the flesh adhering to the cap. 

 By this means we should have three pieces to represent the 

 half Agaric, viz. the section of the pileus and stem, the half 

 stem, and the half pileus, in order to show its external surface. 

 When this is done, the three pieces are to be placed on blotting- 

 paper, covered by one or two thicknesses of paper, and sub- 

 mitted to a gentle pressure, so as to prevent curling, and 

 allowed to dry. At first the papers must be changed every 

 two or three hours, because of the moisture they will absorb, 

 but later on less frequently, until the specimens are quite dry. 

 It will soon become manifest that all trace of the original colour 

 will disappear, and the fragments shrink from loss of moisture ; 

 so that, without the precaution of making a previous drawing, 

 there would be little chance of identification. The above 

 suggestions as to drying apply only to species of a compara- 



