AGARICS 



127 



reward for her daily stroll among the trees. A vis- 

 itor may often see upon her buffet a small glass ^Jish 

 filled with the mushrooms, nicely scraped and cut in 

 pieces — an ever-present relish between meals. For 

 even in their natural state, as she discriminatingly 

 says, they are " as sweet as chestnuts." This is espe- 

 cially the case with the " buttons " or younger speci- 

 mens. 



PURPLE RUSSULA 



Russula lepida 



This, perhaps the most common species, is figured 

 in Plate 12, fig. 3. It corresponds with the fore- 

 going in size as well as in general shape, firm text- 



RUSSULA LEPIDA -CONTORTED AND CRACKED PILEUS 



ure, and friable nature of the gills. The pileus of 

 this species frequently assumes eccentric shapes, or is 

 often cracked, as seen in the accompanying cut. Its 



