THE HEDGEHOG MUSHROOM. 93 



individuals will be found either with caps or stems 

 grown together, so that they are not symmetrical. 

 The spines also clothe the upper part of the stem 

 where it spreads into the cap. The taste of the fresh 

 fungus is rather warm and peppery, so much so that 

 thin slices may be added to a sandwich, being placed 

 on the top of the meat in place of mustard, but hav- 

 ing more "of the flavour of horseradish. Even when 

 cooked there still remains a little pungency, but not 

 more than is pleasant. A basket may soon be filled 

 with this mushroom in the season, for it is thick and 

 fleshy, and if one specimen is discovered there will 

 probably be a dozen more close by. Being of a dry 

 texture it may be sliced and dried for use in the 

 winter, but in this case it must always be steeped in 

 warm water before it is used, or it will be tough. 



There is another . species of nearly the same size 

 found in mountain pine woods {Hydnum imbricatmn), 

 but it is very rare in England, and only occasional in 

 Scotland. The cap is brown and scaly, the spines 

 are greyish white. This does not appear to be an 

 uncommon species in the north of Europe, but with 

 us the cream coloured species takes its place, whilst 

 this in some parts of northern Europe, is rather 

 scarce. According to all accounts it is in no way 

 superior as an esculent to our common species. 

 Other kinds with a central stem are found occasion- 

 ally, but rarely in the south, and these have a tough 

 leathery substance so as to be out of the question as 



