jew's ears. 181 



of Peziza is r that they are comparatively small, taking 

 the thickness of the flesh into account, and would 

 scarcely have encouraged us to include them in this 

 work at all, except in connection with the Hirneola, 

 and then perhaps rather as " curiosities of food " than 

 as likely to become staple articles. 



The " bladdery cups " {Peziza vesiculosa) are more 

 generally common on the ground, rich soil, rubbish, 

 and manure heaps. The cup is at first globose, dirty 

 white, about an inch across or more, and granularly 

 mealy, then it has a small jagged opening, and at 

 length it is expanded like a cup, but the edge is 

 usually a little turned in, until it is quite old. When 

 fully opened it will attain two or three inches, and 

 the interior is smooth pale brown. This is a widely 

 dispersed species, being found all over Europe, in 

 North America, and in Australia and New Zealand. 

 In comparison with the last species we consider this 

 inferior for eating, and taking into account the 

 trouble of collecting and cleaning, it is hardly worth 

 the pains. We have had this sent to us also under 

 the name of Jew's ears, which probably is locally 

 applied indiscriminately to any ear-shaped fungus. 



The orange cups {Peziza aurantia) is widely known, 

 because of the bright orange colour of the inside of 

 the cups, so that it is a most beautiful and con- 

 spicuous object. The cups are often three inches, or 

 more, when fully expanded, and a number of them 

 will be often found growing together in damp places. 



