BRITISH FUNGI. 327 
veal cotelette. All credit to them for their enterprise ; for we 
must own it does not look tempting. 
Woods both in Kent and Wilts have furnished me with the 
pale salmon-coloured Hyclnum. Here the hymenium is in spines, 
which cluster closely over the under- surface, like miniature 
stalactites from the roof of a cavern. It forms an excellent 
disip being likened to oysters. I have also gathered it in Sep- 
tember on the banks of Loch Lomond. Another pretty species, 
smaller, and shaded with madder, grows on mossy banks in 
Kent ( H . zonetum) ; while many stemless kinds grow as incrus- 
tations upon decaying sticks. Upon rotting pales and stumps 
we see richly- tinted patches, some brilliantly purple, others fine 
umber brown and velvety ; these are Corticium cceruleum and 
Stereum hirsutum. In these plants the hymenium is quite 
even, not disposed on lamellse, or in tubes, or veins, or spines, 
which feature characterizes the Auriculini group. 
The Clavarice- are among the most attractive of our fungi, 
carrying their hymenium in the upper part of their branches. 
Some grow as bunches of yellow coral among the low grass on 
our downs (C . fasticjiata) •, others are equally branched, and snow- 
white ( G . cristata), and frequent woods ; whilst the amethyst 
tint of the lilac species favours moorlands. I found it on the 
heights above Oban. 
The last group in the hymenium order is the Tremellini. 
These fungi have the fruit-bearing part mingled with their 
jelly-like substance. The Tremellafoliosa resembles a plaited 
mould of port-wine jelly ; the T. mesenterica, orange jelly ; 
and the T. cdbicla might be a piece of semi-transparent blanc- 
mange. They grow on dead wood in damp places. The 
Exidia glandulosa, shaped like half a huge black mulberry, 
and the Eirneola auricula Judce, of ear-like resemblance, both 
belong to the Tremellini ; the former growing on dead oak, 
and the latter on living elder, and lasting through the winter 
months. 
Some years ago a fungus dinner was suggested in the pages 
of “ Chambers’s Journal.” Fistulina was to stand as beefsteak, 
young Puff-balls for sweetbread, Lactarius deliciosus for lamb 
chops, and Hydnum for oysters ! 
There are also other utilitarian members among our friends. 
The Boletus edulis is much prized on the Continent, and has 
occasionally been cultivated with success. The Polyporus 
fomentarius forms the amadou of commerce, “ German tinder” 
being merely thin slices of the fungus steeped in saltpetre and 
dried. The Ostyacks use Polyporus ignarius as an ingredient 
in snuff, and the Pietra fungiiaia is merely hard clay penetrated 
with the mycelium of P. tuberaster. 
