REVIEWS. 
259 
months, the fact ought to have been mentioned at the close of the 
description. In this respect the book is not “ a plain and easy account 
of British fungi.” We are surprised at such an omission. We know 
that some fungi are peculiar to autumn, and others may be found at 
all seasons of the year. The author had better mention the time when 
the fungi are most abundant. It will render his book more available. 
Dr. Badham, who has written a work on the esculent fungi of Britain, 
is quoted by Mr. Cooke as saying : — 
“I have this autumn myself witnessed whole hundred-weights of rich 
wholesome diet rotting under trees ; woods teeming with food, and not one 
hand to gather it ; and this, perhaps, in the midst of potato-blight, 
poverty, and all manner of privations, and public prayers against im- 
minent famine. I have, indeed, grieved when I have considered the 
straitened condition of the lower orders this year, to see pounds innu- 
merable of extempore beef-steaks growing on our oaks, in the shape of 
Fistulina hepatica ; Agaricus flcivipes, to pickle, in clusters, under them ; 
puff-balls, which some of our friends have not inaptly compared to sweet- 
bread for the rich delicacy of their unassisted flavour ; Hydna as good as 
oysters, which they somewhat resemble in taste ; Agaricus deliciosus, 
reminding us of tender lamb-kidney ; the beautiful yellow CJiantarelle, 
growing by the bushel, and no basket but our own to pick up a few 
specimens in our way ; the sweet nutty Boletus , in vain calling himself 
edulis, where there was none to believe him ; the dainty Orcella ; the 
Agaricus lieterophyllus, which tastes like the crawfish when grilled ; the 
red and green species of Agaricus , to cook in any way, and equally good 
in all.” 
We are afraid, after such a development as this, that some of the 
purchasers of Mr. Cooke’s volume will be hurrying off to the woods, 
expecting to find “ tender lamb-kidney,” “ beef-steak,” “ grilled craw- 
fish,” and “oysters” under the trees, and that they will probably come 
home disappointed. 
The author has, however, carefully drawn and described several of 
the fungi mentioned in this rather strongly-worded passage, — the extem- 
pore beef-steak, Fistulina liepatica , and the tender lamb-kidney mushroom, 
Agaricus deliciosus , for example. The latter, according to our author, is 
now called Lactarius deliciosus. 
As this book may very possibly fall into the hands of persons who may 
have occasionally some difficulty in procuring a family beef-steak, we 
sincerely hope they will be successful in finding the extempore one, 
Fistulina liepatica , which our author has carefully figured, and thus 
describes : — 
“ Fistulina liepatica ( hepar , Lat., the liver), from its colour, which 
resembles that of the liver. This fungus assumes a great variety of forms. 
In its earliest stages it sometimes looks like a strawberry ; when more 
advanced, it has often the appearance of a tongue. One of its continental 
local names is Lingua di Castagna, which applies to this resemblance. 
It is a fleshy juicy fungus, with an undivided unstalked pileus, and when 
cut, presents a bright streaky appearance, not unlike beetroot, and con- 
tains a red juice ; the porous under-surface is yellowish or flesh-coloured. 
The trunks of old oaks are very commonly the habitat of this species, 
which occasionally attains a very large size. When old it becomes rather 
fough, but in all its stages it affords an excellent gravy, and when young, 
