34 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



so flat as to appear to be glued down to the surface. 

 This variety is mentioned here on account of the 

 difference in its appearance, which would ensure its 

 rejection by a careful person as not agreeing with our 

 description of " a smooth, whitish cap, like a kid 

 glove." The stem is often two inches thick, or even 

 more, but short in proportion, and nearly solid. It 

 is so rare a form that even those persons who are 

 addicted to the study of fungi from year to year have 

 most of them never seen it. It is needless to refer to 

 similar- rare varieties in a chapter of this kind, which 

 is not intended for the professional fungus hunter, to 

 whom alone they have any interest. 



For some obscure reason this kind of mushroom 

 has sometimes been called the St George's mushroom, 

 and by this name it is believed to be known in 

 Hungary, where the inhabitants regard it as the special - 

 gift of St George. But there is another, and quite a 

 different mushroom, commonly found in this country 

 in spring, to which the name " St George's mush- 

 room " is applied with more reason, since it makes its 

 appearance about the time of St George's Day. To 

 this genuine, St George we shall have to refer again 

 in detail, and only allude to it here in order to protest 

 against the horse mushroom being dedicated to the 

 saint. 



Several different kinds of fungi have had the credit 

 of forming " fairy-rings " on the grass in meadows, 

 and the horse mushroom is one of these, from its habit 



