VEGETABLE POISONS. 237 



The same may be said of those which grow 

 quickly, and decay immediately; of those bitten 

 and abandoned by insects ; and of those with a 

 soft stalk, and covered with patches of skin." 



The Agaricus Muscarous, which Dr. Orfila 

 does not appear to have noticed, from often 

 being mistaken for the true mushroom, is de- 

 serving of a more particular description ; and 

 which, from being peculiar to Great Britain, may 

 not have been brought within the doctor's ob- 

 servation. 



In this species, the pillar stalk is white, thick, 

 and hollow, thicker towards the top; egg-shaped 

 at its base; surrounded at its middle with a 

 pendulous membrane, and furnished with a cap, 

 which is large, sometimes six inches or more in 

 diameter ; almost flat ; and either beset with 

 angular downy, or by white or red, warts. The 

 gills are white, flat, or inversely spear shaped ; 

 the greater number extend from the rim of the 

 cap to the stalk, the rest only half way. When 

 this mushroom is decaying, the gills become 

 brownish. It is found in pastures and woods. 



The true mushrooms, on the other hand, may 

 be known by their external whiteness, and by 

 being of a pale red within, when young, and 

 a deeper red, when older. They are at their first 

 appearance, of a round figure, with short and thick 

 stalks, and are not much larger than a small nut. 

 After they have a little unfolded their membranes, 



