INTRODUCTION 21 



Experiences similar to this one are frequent in the 

 career of every mycophagist, and serve to illustrate 

 the pity and solicitude which he awakens among his 

 fellow-mortals, as well as to emphasize 

 "Toadstool" the prevalent superstitions regarding 

 prejudice the Comparative virtues of the mush- 

 room and toadstool — a prejudice which, 

 by-the-way, in the absence of available popular liter- 

 ature on the subject, and the actual dangers which 

 encompass their popular distinction, is a most benef- 

 icent public safeguard. 



The mushroom which " he can tell " is generally 

 the Agaricus campestris, or one of its several vari- 

 eties ; and knowing this alone, and 

 *'*"'"L*nd*^*** tempted by no other, this sort of vil- 

 superstitions lagC; Oracle .escapes the fate which of- 

 ten awaits another class, who are not 

 thus conservative, and who extend their definition of 

 mushroom (a word supposed to be synonymous with 

 " edible "), and this mainly through the indorsement 

 of certain so-called infallible tests handed down to 

 them from their forefathers, and by which the escu- 

 lent varieties may be distinguished from the poison- 

 ous. By these so-called "tests" or "proofs" the 

 identification of certain species is gradually acquired. 

 The rural fungus epicure now " knows them by 

 sight," or perhaps has received his information sec- 

 ond-hand, and makes his selection without hesitation, 

 with what success may be judged from the incident 

 in my own experience already noted — one which, 

 knowing as I did the frequency and confidence with 

 which my country friend sampled the fungi at his 



