MORELS. 159 



of the light, or from the slight touch of a passing 

 object. During September and October it is unusual 

 to pass through a wood without seeing one or two of 

 them, seldom more, by the wayside. There is nothing 

 else like them, so that there is no fear of danger. 



When fresh they have a pleasant nutty flavour, 

 but no appreciable odour. Unfortunately a day's 

 excursion seldom furnishes more than a few specimens, 

 but it is always commendable to secure every one, and 

 if sufficient cannot be collected for a ragout, one or 

 two may be easily dried, and added to the store for 

 the winter. 



There is another species, not usually so common, 

 but apparently rather more gregarious in its habits 

 {Helvetia lacunosd), almost of the same size, and 

 found in similar places. The cap is of dark slaty 

 smoke colour, in Epping Forest sometimes as large 

 as a child's fist, twisted and convoluted so as to 

 differ but little except in colour. 



In one spot, a few yards square, in Monk's Wood, 

 we remember on one occasion to have collected a 

 large basket full in half an hour, and subsequently to 

 have usually found a few specimens every year near 

 the same spot. On that memorable occasion we 

 indulged in the good natured folly of introducing this 

 fungus to a mycophagous companion. The result 

 was more gratifying to him than to us, for he is now 

 in the habit of making clandestine visits annually to 

 this spot, in search of the coveted delicacy, and is 



