122 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



The first appearance of growth is a small reddish 

 knob on the tree upon which it is to flourish, like a 

 strawberry, and this gradually grows and enlarges 

 until it becomes like an ox tongue, or part of a 

 bullock's liver. It projects from the tree to which it 

 is attached, without a stem, and although variable in 

 shape is often semicircular, six, eight, or ten inches 

 across, and two or three inches thick behind, gradu- 

 ally thinner towards the margin. The upper surface 

 is liver coloured, at first rather rough but soon be- 

 coming smooth, the under surface is flesh coloured, 

 growing darker with age. If the under surface is 

 carefully examined, it will seem to be punctured all 

 over with little pinholes, and these are the mouths of 

 the tubes, which are closely packed, side by side, like 

 the tubes of a boletus, only that they separate from 

 each other readily. If cut in any direction the flesh 

 presents a mottled appearance somewhat like beet- 

 root, and as juicy. The whole upper surface exudes 

 a kind of sticky moisture, so that it is rather clammy 

 to the touch. The odour which it possesses is sug- 

 gestive of wine, and its taste distinctly acid but not 

 unpleasant. Specimens vary considerably in size, 

 but one of two or three pounds weight is not un- 

 common. Dr Badham records that he once found 

 one which measured nearly five feet round, and 

 weighed upwards of eight pounds, whilst the Rev. M. 

 J. Berkeley is the authority for one which weighed 

 nearly thirty pounds. 



