1 90 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



inches, paler than the cap and fibrous, with a large 

 spreading ring near the top. The gills are dirty 

 white, and soon discoloured and stained or spotted 

 with dull red. The spores are white, and so profuse 

 that grass, wood, dead leaves, or whatever lies beneath 

 the fungus soon become covered with a coating of the 

 snow-white spores. This is a feature which cannot 

 fail to be observed. The whole of the fungus is of a 

 rather dry consistence, not viscid, but sometimes so 

 soaked with moisture after rain, that it is scarcely 

 distinguishable. And this is the ubiquitous melleus, 

 the honey-coloured stump mushroom, common every- 

 where, and almost everywhere in profusion, but no 

 one holds it in respect. In this instance " familiarity 

 breeds contempt ; " even slugs and maggots do not 

 appear to hold it in much esteem. All books on 

 edible fungi that have been written include this 

 species, but it would not have found a place here if 

 such had not been its antecedents, for, although per- 

 fectly harmless, it is not such a dainty morsel as one 

 would recommend to his friends. One of our fungus 

 eating coadjutors always speaks of it as an "awful 

 fraud," and therefore we may be excused for omitting 

 any instructions in its preparation for the table. 



Although the " melleus " is not to our liking, 

 there is another species, confined apparently to old 

 beech trees and stumps, for which we have better words 

 to write. The slimy beech caps (Agaricus mucidus) 

 are usually plentiful wherever there are old beeches, 



