mushroom, of a dingy brown color, by reason of which it is easily 
overlooked. Its gills have at first the pink hue of the other spe- 
cies of this group, changing to blackish-brown with age. It 
grows under trees in woods, and like other species with a similar 
habitat, its stem is rather long and often swollen or sub-bulbous 
at the base. I have not eaten it, but it is said to be of excellent 
quality. , 
The Wood-inhabiting mushroom, Agaricus silvicola, is so 
closely related to the Common mushroom that it has been con- 
sidered by some good mycologists to be a mere variety of it. Its 
chief differences are in its place of growth, its longer and com- 
paratively more slender stuffed or hollow and somewhat bulbous 
stem. In other respects it agrees closely with the white or whit- 
ish forms of that species. For edible purposes, it is not very im- 
portant whether it is considered a species or a variety. But 
growing in the woods, it is of the utmost importance that it 
should not be confused with white forms of the poisonous Amar 
itas which grow in similar localities, and which are easily sepa- 
rated by reason of the persistently white color of their gills. 
The Flat-cap mushroom, Agaricus placomyces, is one of our 
prettiest species. Its cap is rather thin, at first convex, but when 
fully expanded, it is quite flat. Its ground color is whitish or 
grayish, but it is everywhere 
adorned with very small dis- 
tinct brown persistent scales, , 
except on the disk, where they £ 
are so compacted as to give ‘ 
that part a brown color. In 
old age or in dried specimens, 
the whole cap is apt to be- 
come brown. The gills, as in 
several other species of this 
genus, are at first white, then 
pink, and finally blackish- 
brown. Its stem is rather 
long and slender, stuffed with 
a cottony pith and bulbous at 
the base. It is commonly 
whitish, but sometimes bears 
yellowish stains toward the 
base. : 
It grows under trees or in 
the borders of woods, and is Flat-Cap Mushroom. Two-thirds size. 
found in summer and aut- 
81 
