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NEW YORK STATE MU8EUM 



it acts as a cathartic if eaten in small quantity, but causes death if 

 eaten freely. One of my own correspondents assures me that he 

 has eaten of the yellow variety, var. formosa, Fig. 6, without 

 evil results, and that he regards it as very good. But there 

 is no disputing the fact that the species possesses intoxicating 

 and poisonous properties. It has long had the reputation 

 of possessing properties fatal to flies that sip its juice. 

 This suggests the names muscaria, Fly amanita, Fly agaric and 

 Fly killer by which it is known. I have myself seen the cap of 

 a single specimen surrounded by a circle of lifeless flies that had 

 sipped the viscid juice from its moist surface and fallen victims 

 to its virulent properties before leaving the place of their fatal 

 repast. 



Some have attempted an explanation of the contradictory 

 statements concerning this plant by supposing that its poisonous 

 properties are not always developed, that in some localities or 

 under some favorable circumstances it is harmless. This explana- 

 tion violates our sense of the constancy of Nature, and is not 

 at all satisfactory. In the case of my own correspondent, the 

 caps were peeled before cooking. May it not be that much of 

 the noxious quality resides in the epidermis and the viscid sub- 

 stance upon it, and that by discarding this the dish is rendered 

 less dangerous? In some instances may it not be true that it 

 was eaten in too limited quantity to produce evil consequences ? 

 In some cases it is said that those who eat it freely and without 

 harm boil it a long time in water and throw away the water. 

 In this way, doubtless, much of the poison is abstracted. Long 

 soaking in salt and water, also in vinegar, have been recom- 

 mended as a means of rendering suspected or noxious species 

 harmless, and may have been practiced in some of the cases in 

 which this fungus has been eaten with impunity.* Whatever 

 may be the explanation of the contradictory statements, the only 

 safe way is to consider this species as deleterious and avoid its 

 use under all circumstances. There is no need of taking any 

 risks with suspected species, since there are so many good ones 

 against which no charge of evil has ever been established. 



* Since this was written another correspon lent writes that he has eaten as many as four caps 

 of tin* yellowish form of this species at one ireal and wilhout any evil consequences, and that 

 the caps were not peeled. This makes pertinent the question, is this variety, indeed, a distinct 

 and harmless spec es? It scarcely seems possible that the different experiences are explainable 

 by reason of individual idiosyncrasy, or by variation in the properties of the plant. 



