WARTED CAPS. 69 



be any fear of mistake, and it is a very common, safe, 

 and useful species. 



We may allude here, incidentally, to another species 

 {Agaricus strobiliformis) which is unfortunately rare, 

 but equally edible, found on the borders of woods. 

 The cap when young is nearly spherical, but soon 

 expands, reaching a diameter of eight or nine inches. 

 The scales, or warts are large, and not unlike the 

 scales of a fir cone, brownish in the centre, with a 

 white woolly margin, closely adhering to the cap. 

 The stem is six or seven inches long and an inch and 

 a half thick, firm and solid, swollen at the base. The 

 ring is large and pendulous. The gills do riot reach 

 the stem, and are rounded behind. The whole fungus 

 is commonly whitish but sometimes pale grey, and 

 there are never any red stains, as in the previous 

 species. To prevent misapprehension it may be 

 added that the gills and spores are white. Hitherto 

 we have only known this species to occur in two or 

 three counties of England, and in those very rarely, 

 so that, large and excellent though it may be, the 

 finding of it must be regarded as a memorable event. 

 One who has eaten it says, " its undisputed esculent 

 qualities are of a high order, and it is to be regretted 

 that its comparative rarity must prevent its being so 

 Well known and appreciated as its merits deserve." 



It is unnecessary to quote authorities for the excel- 

 lence and utility of the common warted mushroom, no 

 one disputes it now-a-days, at least among fungus 



