FUNGL. 387 
half a foot or a foot beneath the soil. In appear- 
ance it is a rounded, rough, irregular nodule like 
a potato ; at first white, afterwards black, cracked 
like a pine-apple, or a pine-cone, into small 
pyramidal or polyhedrous warts. The internal 
substance is solid, of a dirty white or pale brown 
colour, grained like a nutmeg with darker serpen- 
tine lines. The white portions are considered by 
botanists to be homologous to the mycelium or 
spawn of other fungi, as their structure is decidedly 
filamentous ; while the veins are the reproductive 
parts, containing in their cellular tissue minute 
oval capsules, with two, four, or eight globular, 
yellowish, warted sporidia in their interior. This 
curious structure, having all the parts of nutrition 
and reproduction enclosed internally, instead of 
externally as in other fungi, reminds one of the 
flower of the fig, which, it is well known, is fixed 
upon the inside of the receptacle that constitutes 
the fruit. The truffles of Great Britain seldom 
exceed three or four ounces in weight; but in 
Italy and Germany they have occasionally been 
found weighing eight and even fourteen pounds. 
They are received at our tables either fresh, and 
roasted like potatoes, or dried and sliced into 
ragouts. They are esteemed for their delicious 
taste, and are much sought for as a luxury, being 
hunted by dogs trained for the purpose. Pigs are 
