POISONOUS MUSHROOMS. Ill 



SHAM MUSHROOM. 



Agaricus {ffebelomajJastibUis. 



(Plate XY. Fig. 3.) 



Ok one or two occasions this fungus has 

 come up in considerable quantities on mush- 

 room-beds, and might have led to serious 

 consequences had it not been detected.' It 

 is usually found growing in woods. The 

 pileus is compact and fleshy, two inches 

 and more across, smooth and tan-coloured 

 or growing pallid, with a rather darker 

 centre, the involute margin downy ; the 

 stem two or three inches long and half an 

 inch thick, thickened at the base, silky, and 

 with a web-like ring ; gills rather broad and 

 distant, pallid at first, then dusky, with 

 dark brown spores, and the edge whitish. 

 It is a very suspicious species, and has the 

 reputation of being noxious, so that it is an 

 unwelcome visitor when it appears on mush- 

 room-beds. The deception is disclosed by 



