FUNGI. 377 
perish ungathered in the woods and fields. Dr. 
Badham, in his excellent work on the esculent 
fungi of this country, remarks regarding this culp- 
able neglect: ‘I have myself witnessed whole 
hundredweights of rich wholesome food rotting 
under trees; woods teeming with food, and not 
one hand to gather it; and this perhaps in the 
midst of potato-blight, poverty, and all manner of 
privations, and public prayers against imminent 
famine. I have indeed been grieved to see pounds 
innumerable of extempore beefsteaks growing on 
our oaks in the shape of Festulina hepatica ; Agart- 
cus fusipes to pickle in clusters under them ; puff- 
balls, which some of our friends have not inaptly 
compared to sweet-bread, for the rich delicacy of 
their unassisted flavour; ydua as good as oysters, 
which they somewhat resemble in taste; Agaricus 
deliciosus, reminding us of tender lamb-kidneys; the 
beautiful yellow Chantarelle, that alon kagathon 
of diet, growing by the bushel, and no basket but 
our own to pick them up; the sweet nutty-flav- 
oured Boletus, in vain calling himself edulis where 
there are none to believe him ; the dainty Orcella, 
the Agaricus heterophyllus, which tastes like the 
craw-fish when grilled; the Agaricus ruber and 
Agaricus virescens, to cook in any way, and equally 
good in all; these are among the most conspicuous 
of the edible fungi.’ 
