Notes on Fungi. 185 



A very curious species, A. bombycinus, occurs now and then 

 on very rotten wood of elm, lime, etc., and is remarkable for 

 its silky pileus and very dark-lobed, sometimes almost viscid, 

 volva. I must mention another species, A. Loveianus, because 

 of its singular habit. It grows parasitically on decaying 

 A. nebular is, and, with its snow-white silky pileus, ample 

 volva, and rose-coloured gills, is extremely beautiful. It was 

 first noticed in the journal of a naturalist by Mr. Knapp, under 

 the name of A. surreclus. Figures of this, A. bombycinus and 

 the viscid A. sjoeciosus, will be found in the Outlines of British 

 Fungology. 



It is time, however, to go on to the next subgenus, Pluteus, 

 which derives its name from a Latin word signifying the 

 sloping covering which protects parties working a battering 

 ram. It differs only from Volvaria in the total absence of 

 a volva, the pileus, gills, and stem being quite of the same 

 nature. The species grow on decayed trunks of trees, saw- 

 dust, or on ground consisting very largely of decomposed 

 wood. None of the species are considered esculent. The 

 gills are sometimes yellow at first, but soon become pink from 

 the spores. Many of them are very pretty, and A. leoninus, 

 figured in the Outlines, when brightly coloured, with its deep 

 scarlet pileus and pure yellow stem, is one of the very hand- 

 somest Agarics I ever met with. The pileus in this subgenus 

 is sometimes silky, sometimes smooth, and in A. phlebojjhorus 

 the cuticle is singularly wrinkled, A. petasatus, which occurs 

 sometimes abundantly on large heaps of sawdust near sawmills 

 or in cellars, is a most magnificent species. 



Entoloma (from 'evTb<i, within; and \wjxa, a veil), the veil 

 being potential rather than definite, comprises several species 

 belonging to three distinct groups, distinguished by their 

 gills, which are often nearly free or slightly adnexed, being 

 sinuated behind, while the margin of the pileus is at first 

 inflexed. The stem is of a fibrous, fleshy consistence, or 

 occasionally waxy. The more typical species often attain a 

 large size. None, however, are admitted as articles of food, 

 though it is possible that some which have a mealy scent may 

 be wholesome, while in others a nitrous odour indicates 

 unwholesome or suspicious properties. One of the early 

 species, it is not exactly known which, has nearly proved 

 fatal, and experiments therefore should be made with some 

 caution. The three sections are distinguished as follows : — 

 1. Those with a fleshy pileus, smooth when full grown, often 

 viscid but not hygrophanous, and never innato-floccose, or 

 squamulose. 2. Those with a dry, floccuiose, or slightly scaly 

 pileus. 3. Species with a thin, hygrophanous, smooth pileus, 

 which has however a silky lustre. All the species grow on the 



