298 MUSHROOMS. 
in like places, where no other form of plant could exist; — 
while some are entirely subterranean. The forms, too, which — 
these singular plants assume are extremely diversified; in ‘ 
some the form is that of a cup, in others of a goblet, asi — 
cer, an ear, a bird’s nest, a horn, a bunch of coral, a button, — 
a rosette, a lump of jelly, or a piece of velvet. In colot — 
they are almost as variable as in shape, the rarest color 
being green. We have all shades of red, from light purple 
to deepest crimson; all tints of yellow from sulphurous to — 
orange; all kinds of browns from palest ochre to deepest d 
umber, and every graduation between pale gray and sooty 
black ; blue and violet tints do not abound, but these, as well 
as a beautiful amethyst, occasionally occur. White and creamy 
traits are very common. Odors are manifestly agreeable ot 
disagreeable to a considerable extent, according to the taste 
of the inhaler, but it must be confessed that some of the 
fungi exhale an odor so intolerably fetid, that no set of l 
olfactory nerves could be found to endure it longer than ws | 
absolutely necessary ; the truly elegant but rare 4 
being an instance to the point. Fortunately this unpleasant 4 
feature is not common in the fungi, some smelling like new 
made hay, like violets, like anise, or walnuts, or new 
or tarragon,—and a variety of flavors which the fungi posse ] 
is calculated to please.” 
It has been asserted by some botanists that climate greatly, 
modifies the properties of these plants, and renders 
harmless, where found out of their native habitats. A m 
nificent species, known as the Amanita muscarius, sn 
Agaric, a native of Europe, and found in our woods, ge 
of twelve species occurring in England, of which many 
side this one, are decidedly poisonous and used in the prep 
aration of fly-paper. Roques, in his work on the e a 
fungi, distinctly says, “That this plant has not its po bis 
qualities modified by any climate, the Czar Alexis lost š 
life by eating of it, and yet it has been affirmed as i 
Kamtschatka it is used as a frequent article of food 

