THE SPARASSIS. 197 



in diameter, we have found on one or two occasions 

 on the decaying limbs of a tree, or at its base, but 

 only this one individual tree. The description given 

 above of the external appearance of the Sparassis 

 would apply equally well to this, except that the 

 stem is entirely absent, the colour of a pinkish yellow, 

 almost flesh-colour, and the texture much softer, and 

 more clammy to the touch. We have not seen it for 

 a quarter of a century, and have but a faint recollection 

 of our then experiences. All we remember was that 

 it was always cooked when found, and eaten by the 

 family with satisfaction, but in what manner it was 

 prepared for the table is now forgotten. 



The unsatisfactory experiences relate to the com- 

 moner leafy tremella, constantly found on old 

 trunks and branches (Tremella foliaced). It is of 

 a smoky brown colour, cold, clammy, and shaky in 

 the hand, in tufts almost the size of the fist, almost 

 of a jelly-like consistence, and by no means inviting. 

 When stewed it resolves itself into a slimy mess 

 which would be acceptible to the Chinese, but not 

 in conformity with English tastes. It is perfectly 

 wholesome, and a little effort might perhaps convert 

 it into a respectable dish by some other process. 



Another tremella is to be met with every year on 

 fallen branches and old trunks, which is recom- 

 mended as edible, but our experiences with the leafy 

 tremella encouraged no experiment. This {Tremella 

 mesenterica) is brain-like in its convolutions, gela- 



