140 



FUNGUS FORAY AT SELBY. 



On the 22nd October a small party interested in the study of toadstools 

 investigated those of certain woods east of Selby. The party was in charge of 

 Mr. George Massee, and the arrangements had been made by Mr. W. Norwood 

 Cheesman. After a substantial breakfast at the latter's house, the party set off in 

 a couple of conveyances provided by him. After a misadventure on the bridge, 

 whereby the occupants of one conveyance narrowly escaped being precipitated into 

 the river through the inordinate curiosity of their horse, who in the endeavour to 

 investigate the whistle of a locomotive forcibly backed against the wooden 

 parapet of the bridge, Osgodby Woods were reached. 'Too dry' — said or thought 

 by everyone as the leaves rustled and crumbled under foot, and the only things of 

 interest found included a beautiful specimen of Agariais simiaius, found by Mr. 

 Fowler, while A. laccatus and Laciarius stibdtdcis were not uncommon. A short 

 cut for Cliff Common Wood was attempted, which proved a mistake. It was 

 along a lane in which the ruts proved to be not only numerous but very deep, and 

 the determination of one of the drivers to drive across the ruts at acute angles 

 produced sensations which were likened to navigation in the chops of the Channel, 

 or jestingly suggested as beneficial for sluggish liver. Eventually all dismounted 

 and walked. Cliff Common Wood, part of which contained an undergrowth of 

 sphagnum and heather, was soon reached ; here some good things were met with 

 and duly stowed away. A short drive brought the party next to Blackwood 

 Woods, in which good things turned up at almost every step. First, Mr. Soppitt 

 appeared with some fine examples of ToTrtibia ophioglossoides parasitic upon Ela- 

 phomyces graiitilattis, and presently the whole party, on bended knees, were 

 digging up the treasures, which penetrate a considerable depth below the 

 surface. Mr. Roebuck found several specimens of Cortinarius ciiinabai-inus, 

 and Mr. Fowler bagged a small colony of an edible species — ■ Agariats 

 nebiilaj-is. Various species of Lactarius were abundant, and Mr. Cheesman 

 conducted to where L. deliciosus with its green gills and blood-red milk 

 grew in tolerable abundance ; L. chrysorrhceus with its white milk changing 

 to bright sulphur yellow when exposed to the air, grew along with it. 

 Z. deIicios2is, notwithstanding its repulsive appearance, is probably our best 

 edible fungus. Dr. Cooke says of it (Fungi, pp. 92) : — ' Universal commendation 

 seems to fall upon this species, writers vying with each other to say the best in 

 its praise, and mycophagists everywhere endorsing the assumption of its name, 

 declaring it to be delicious. It is found in the markets of Paris, Berlin, Prague, 

 and Vienna, as we are informed, and in Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Russia, 

 Belgium ; in fact, in nearly all countries in Europe it is esteemed.' This species, 

 along with Agaricns nebitlaris, A. rttbescejzs, Gomphidius viscidiis, and RussiUa 

 ahitacea, were collected for cooking, the last mentioned having a very pleasant nutty 

 flavour when raw. At Skipwith man and beast partook of refreshment, after 

 which a start was made, again by a by-road, for Escrick Woods, where fungi 

 proved plentiful, but daylight scarce; so after a most successful and enjoyable 

 foray, the bulk of the specimens wei-e carefully deposited in two large boxes, and 

 the party started for Selby. The drive home from Escrick Woods in the waning 

 twilight was cold, the temperature having lowered only too rapidly from the bright 

 warmth of the autumnal day which had been chosen for the ramble. At Mr. 

 Cheesman's a substantial repast, to which ample justice was done, awaited the hungry 

 mycologists, after which they soon dispersed, leaving by rail for their respective 

 homes. 



The following is a list of the fungi collected during the day, 134 in number : — 

 Agaricus (Amanita) rubescens Fr. Agaricus (Tricholoma) rutilans Sckcsff. 



Agaricus (Lepiota) granulosus Batsch. saponaceus Fr. 



delicatus Fr. lascivus Fr. 



carcharias /'tv'j. cinerascens i??///. 



Agaricus (Armillaria) melleus Fl. Dan. Agaricus (Clitocybe) nebularis Fr. 

 Agaricus (Tricholoma) sejunctus Sow. . clavipes Fers. 



resplendens Fr. phyllophilus Fr. 



flavobrunneus Fr. dealbatus Sozc. 



Naturalist, 



