208 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



classed with edible fungi. Ultimately, the known 

 deleterious species would be found diminished to five 

 or six. Indeed we could point out more than a 

 hundred consecutive species in almost any list which 

 would not include a single poisonous species. 



Over and over again have we been urged to lay 

 down some rules, or instructions, whereby poisonous 

 may be distinguished from innocuous fungi. As often 

 have we declared, as we do now, that such general 

 instructions are impossible. No rules can be given 

 whereby a poisonous can be distinguished from 

 a harmless species, nothing except knowledge and 

 experience. The poisonous species already known 

 are known because they have a past history which has 

 condemned them, and not from any evidence written 

 upon them. The most experienced mycologist 

 cannot tell by any character, feature, or behaviour, 

 that this or that fungus is poisonous or the reverse. 

 He only knows its antecedents and the company it 

 keeps. A large order of flowering plants, such as the 

 Solanacece, may be looked upon with suspicion, but 

 the potato and tomato are not poisons. In the 

 Agarics the subgenus Amanita with warted caps have 

 always been regarded with suspicion because of 

 Agaricus muscarius and Agaricus phalloides ; but two 

 others of the same group, Agaricus rubescens and 

 Agaricus strobiliformis, ' are most excellent food. 

 Amongst the Boleti it has long been a standing in- 

 struction to consider all the species unfit for food, 



