In many of the Fungi the gills are covered and protected in their infancy by a membrane, more or lefs thick, 

 totally independent of the Volva, attached to the edge of the Pileus one way, and round the ftalk the other. 

 While the membrane is vifibly thus connected, which is juft as the Pileus is beginning to expand, we call it the 

 Velum or Veil, though generally the term is applied to thofe membranes which are remarkably thin, almoft like a 

 cobweb, and which, when the Pileus is expanded, leave little or no traces of their exiftence behind, as in the 

 Agarkus fafckularis. The greateft part of this membrane in feparating is generally left either with the Pileus or 

 Stipes : fometimes what it leaves remains with the Pileus, and is only fufficient to give the edge a ragged or toothed 

 appearance ; but more commonly, where it is in any degree fubftantial, it leaves the Pileus, and attaches itfelf to the 

 Stipes, where it either projects horizontally, as in the aruginofus ; or becomes pendulous, as in the prefent fpecies. 

 This part, thus attached to the ftalk, we call the Anmelus, Ring or Ruffle. 



There are three characters which diftinguifh the prefent fpecies of mufhroom^ viz. a cap, more or lefs covered 

 with warts ; a ftalk, bulbous at its bafe, and furnimed above with a pendulous ftriated ruffle. Thefe will be found 

 in every perfect fungus of this fort. Colour is not to be depended on ; the cap being fometimes, as in the variety 

 mufcarius, of the moft beautiful crimfon, and very frequently, efpecially in Charlton Wood, of a cream colour'; 

 but its moft ufual tint is a dingy red, inclining to brown. The Gills are always white at firft, and become of a 

 dingy red at laft. The ftalk in thofe which have a reddifh Pileus is ufually mottled with red and white. The 

 whole fungus, but particularly the bafe, is apt to be foon deftroyed by the larvae of various infects, and among 

 others by thofe of an undefcribed fpecies of Tipula, fbmewhat lefs than the Tipu/a plume fa, and diftinguimed by 

 having its legs unufually hairy. It was by accident we difcovered the attachment of this infect. Betwixt 

 the Velum and the Gills, previous to the feparation of the former from the edge of the Pileus, there is a 

 confiderable cavity. In this cavity we found, in a young fungus of this fpecies, at leaft twenty of thefe Tipulae, 

 which had introduced themfelves through an accidental aperture in the Velum. 



The Agarkus verrucofus is very common in all our woods about the middle of September. The mufcarius is 

 plentiful only in particular fpots. 



We had the curiofity to tafte this ffiewy fungus. Chewed, it was not unpleafant in the mouth ; fwallowed, 

 it quickly produced a difagreeable burning kind of fenfation in the throat, Which extended to the ftomach, though 

 the quantity fwallowed was but fmall ; and this fenfation continued a confiderable time. That I might not be 

 miftaken in my idea of this fenfation, I prevailed on my draughtfman and gardener to chew and fwallow fome 

 of it, who complained of its producing a limilar effect. Hence we may infer, that this fpecies, taken in any 

 quantity, is likely to prove highly poifonous. This effect accords with the account given of it by different authors. 

 Scopoli makes mention of fome perfons being poifoned by it, miftaking it for the Agarkus aefareus. Haller 

 relates, that fix perfons of Lithuania peri (heel at one time by eating it j and that in Kamtfchatka it had driven 

 others raving mad ; that there, three or four of them are eaten without much effect, but that ten intoxicate : 

 neverthelefs, the Ruffians eat it with their food ; and the inhabitants of Kamtfchatka prepare a liquor from this 

 fungus, and a fpecies of Epilobium, which, taken in fmall quantities, inebriates, and produces a trembling of the 

 nerves, making fome joyous, others melancholy. The very urine of thofe who drink it is found to intoxicate. 

 LiNN^Etrs fays, that flies are killed, Scopoli only ftupified, by tafting an infufion of the mufcarius in milk, whence 

 its name, and that it is alfo inimical to bugs ; but we have certainly much better remedies for thefe troublefome 

 infects. 



