SHAGGY CAPS. 45 



tumbler, the diameter being less than half the 

 height. The stem is Jong, erect, and a little taper- 

 ing towards the top, nearly smooth, and quite white, 

 from half an inch thick. The cap is dirty white, with 

 a tinge of ochre on the top, covered with shaggy 

 threads, which hang together like dependent scales, 

 fringing also the edge of the cap. When cut down 

 the centre the gill plates will be seen to be very 

 broad and lanceolate, tapering to each extremity, 

 reaching to the stem, but not attached to it. At first 

 they are white, but soon. become darker, with a lilac 

 tint, towards the edge, and finally pass from a dingy 

 purple to black. It is not unusual for the gills, when 

 changing, to have a rosy tinge. There is one 

 peculiarity which distinguishes this (and all species 

 of Coprinus) from the true Agarics, and that consists 

 in the gills, after full maturity, melting away into a 

 black inky fluid, and falling in drops to the ground. 

 After being some time gathered, even if immature, 

 instead of drying up, the whole mass, excepting the 

 stem, deliquesces, passing into a dark slimy mass. 

 In this condition it has by no means a prepossessing 

 appearance. Whilst fresh and firm it is neat, if not 

 attractive, although usually fragments of the soil 

 attach themselves to the pileus, reminding one of a 

 dirty street Arab, to which it has some analogy. 

 The spores are large, many times larger than those 

 of the common mushroom, and very black. At the 

 first there is a loose membranous collar, or ring, 



