INTRODUCTION 9 



campestris, and the " Fairy Ring " the reader is re- 

 ferred to a condensed account of the methods of veg- 

 etation and growth of fungi sufficient for present 

 purposes. Other references of similar character will 

 be noted under " Fungi," in Index. 



The most conspicuous disciple of mycophagy — al- 

 most the pioneer, indeed, in America — was the late 

 Rev. M. A. Curtis, of North Carolina, 



The pioneer -^^hose name heads the bibliography on 



American - ° . 



mycophagist page 325. For the benefit of those of 



my readers who may wish to follow 

 the subject further than my pages will lead them, 

 I append the list of edible species of fungi contained 

 in Curtis's Catalogue, each group alphabetically ar- 

 ranged, the esculent qualities of many of which he 

 himself discovered and attested by personal experi- 

 ment. The favorite habitat of each fungus is also 

 given, and to avoid any possibility of confusion in 

 scientific nomenclature or synonymes, the authority 

 for the scientific name is also given in each instance: 



LIST OF EDIBLE AMERICAN MUSHROOMS 

 FROM THE CATALOGUE OF DR. M. A. CURTIS 



Agaricus albellus. De Candolle. Damp woods. 



A. (amanita) Casarea. Scopoli. In oak forests. 



A. (amanita) rubescens. Persoon. Damp woods. 



A. (amanita) strobiliformis. Vittadini. Common in woods. 



A. amygdalinus. M. A. Curtis. Rich grounds, woods, and lanes. 



A. arvensis. Schaeffer. Fields and pastures. 



A. bombicinus. Schaeffer. Earth and carious wood. 



A. campestris. Linnaeus. Fields and pastures. 



A. castus. M. A. Curtis. Grassy old fields. 



A. cespitosus. M. A. Curtis. Base of stumps. 



A. columbetta. Fries. Woods. 



A. consociatus. Pine woods. 



