﻿REPORT 
  OF 
  STATE 
  BOTANIST, 
  1 
  897 
  3II 
  

  

  - 
  The 
  bear's-head 
  Hydnum 
  is 
  intermediate 
  between 
  tlie 
  coral-like 
  

   Hydnuni, 
  //. 
  coralloides, 
  on 
  one 
  hand 
  and 
  the 
  hedgehog 
  Hydnum, 
  

   //. 
  crinacami, 
  and 
  the 
  niedusa's-head 
  Hydnum, 
  H. 
  Caput-medusae, 
  

   on 
  the 
  other. 
  By 
  reason 
  of 
  the 
  numerous 
  short 
  branches 
  of 
  its 
  

   surface 
  it 
  is 
  classed 
  with 
  the 
  branching 
  species 
  of 
  the 
  tribe 
  Merisma, 
  

   but 
  on 
  account 
  of 
  its 
  thick 
  fleshy 
  tuberculiform 
  body 
  it 
  shows 
  a 
  close 
  

   connection 
  with 
  the 
  unbranched 
  tuberculiform 
  species. 
  The 
  Ameri- 
  

   can 
  fungus 
  is 
  not 
  always 
  pendulous, 
  and 
  in 
  this 
  respect 
  it 
  differs 
  

   from 
  the 
  typical 
  form 
  described 
  by 
  Prof. 
  Fries. 
  

  

  When 
  it 
  grows 
  from 
  the 
  upper 
  side 
  of 
  a 
  prostrate 
  trunk 
  it 
  is 
  erect 
  

   or 
  nearly 
  so. 
  When 
  it 
  grows 
  from 
  the 
  side 
  of 
  a 
  standing 
  or 
  of 
  a 
  

   prostrate 
  trunk 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  either 
  ascending 
  or 
  pendulous,, 
  or 
  it 
  may 
  

   develop 
  in 
  both 
  directions. 
  The 
  solid 
  body 
  is 
  sometimes 
  elongated 
  

   and 
  narrow, 
  sometimes 
  short 
  and 
  thick. 
  Its 
  branches 
  are 
  often 
  

   scarcely 
  more 
  than 
  tuberculiform 
  projections 
  or 
  processes 
  and 
  the 
  

   general 
  outline 
  of 
  the 
  whole 
  fungus 
  sometimes 
  bears 
  a 
  striking 
  re- 
  

   semblance 
  in 
  size 
  and 
  shape 
  to 
  the 
  heart 
  of 
  an 
  ox. 
  The 
  spine-like 
  

   teeth 
  vary 
  much 
  in 
  length. 
  They 
  are 
  generally 
  from 
  4 
  to 
  12 
  lines 
  

   long, 
  and 
  point 
  downward. 
  They 
  are 
  longer 
  than 
  in 
  the 
  coral-like 
  

   Hydnum 
  and 
  shorter 
  than 
  in 
  the 
  hedgehog 
  Hydnum. 
  The 
  whole 
  

   plant 
  is 
  white 
  and 
  beautiful 
  when 
  fresh 
  and 
  young, 
  but 
  with 
  age 
  

   and 
  in 
  drying 
  it 
  assumes 
  creamy 
  white, 
  yellowish 
  or 
  pale 
  alutaceous 
  

   hues. 
  It 
  has 
  sometimes 
  been 
  referred 
  to 
  Hydnum 
  Capiit-medusae 
  by 
  

   American 
  mycologists 
  but 
  its 
  branching 
  character 
  and 
  the 
  entire 
  

   absence 
  of 
  grayish 
  or 
  cinereous 
  colors 
  forbid 
  such 
  a 
  reference. 
  

  

  It 
  usually 
  forms 
  masses 
  from 
  2 
  to 
  6 
  inches 
  thick 
  and 
  high, 
  but 
  it 
  

   sometimes 
  greatly 
  exceeds 
  these 
  dimensions. 
  It 
  grows 
  upon 
  dead 
  

   or 
  decaying 
  wood 
  of 
  deciduous 
  trees, 
  specially 
  of 
  beech 
  and 
  birch 
  

   and 
  is 
  mostly 
  found 
  in 
  woods 
  in 
  summer 
  and 
  autumn. 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  is 
  not 
  classed 
  among 
  the 
  edible 
  mushrooms 
  by 
  Eu- 
  

   ropean 
  mycologists 
  and 
  Prof. 
  Fries 
  says 
  that 
  its 
  substance 
  is 
  tough 
  

   and 
  dry, 
  and 
  that 
  he 
  would 
  scarcely 
  think 
  it 
  edible. 
  My 
  own 
  experi- 
  

   ments 
  with 
  it 
  lead 
  me 
  to 
  think 
  it 
  less 
  tender 
  and 
  savory 
  than 
  the 
  

   coral-like 
  Hydnum, 
  still 
  it 
  is 
  agreea1)le, 
  digestible 
  and 
  harmless 
  and 
  

   much 
  better 
  than 
  some 
  species 
  that 
  are 
  generally 
  considered 
  very 
  

   good. 
  Its 
  great 
  mass 
  of 
  firm 
  flesh, 
  free 
  from 
  larvae, 
  clean 
  white 
  and 
  

  

  