FIELD BOOK OF COMMON GILLED MUSHROOMS 



Let us suppose that the mushrooms we desire to identify 

 have a milky juice. 



3. With milky juice as a character in mind, turn to those pages 

 of the key headed "Character of the Mushroom" (page 31) 

 where will be found in the first column the words Milky Juice. 



The mushrooms in hand will be named somewhere in this 

 group unless they belong to some uncommon species not in- 

 cluded in this book. 



4. Next, observe the color of the caps of the specimens and 

 find in the second column of the key, headed "Color of 

 Cap," the description which fits them. 



5. When it appears likely that the correct color description 

 has been found, look next at the accompanying "Remarks" 

 in the third column of the key where will be found mentioned 

 further distinguishing characteristics which will aid in identi- 

 fying the specimens. 



Names of species are placed in column number four, farthest 

 to the left of each page of the key. Coming as they do in 

 answer to the inquiry "What is the name of the plant?" the 

 names will be the last things to be read. 



Complete descriptions of the species will be found in 

 Chapter V following the key. 



Let us take another example of the use of the key. On a 

 winter walk in the woods, clusters of a small reddish-yellow 

 mushroom are found growing upon a stump. Their caps are 

 moist and sticky, their gills lighter in color but their stems 

 are darker than the surface of the cap and are rather velvety. 

 How shall their name be found in the key? 



Looking in the key under "Time of Growth" and where the 

 first column says " December," we find that a cap in the Color 

 of Cap Column is described as being reddish-yellow or tawny 

 and (in the third column) that its size is >^ to 2 inches broad and 

 that in all other respects its description corresponds with our 

 specimen. In the last column its name is given as Collybia velu- 



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