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at Stamford, I have received specimens of the fungi which 
proved fatal to the late Mr. Welch, and from tlie ill effects of 
which a lady who also ate them, very nearly lost her life. 
“ It is not the Amanita musearia, or Fly agaric, as it was said to 
he, hut the Amanita vaginata, a species of far less suspicious 
appearance, and one possessing no disagreeable smell, nor other 
characteristics of its dangerous qualities. It is extremely common 
in most places, and shares the popular name of umbrella, with fifty 
other kinds ; moreover, it is said to be wholesome, in many popular 
books on mushrooms, and one great object of my ■writing is to 
request the possessors of such works at once to correct the blunder 
in theii copies, and thus to j^revent mischief to those into whose 
hands they may fall. Mr. W. Smith, in the little book which 
accompanies hio admirable charts, says thus, ^ A very common 
species of Amanita, agaricus vaginatus,’' said to be esculent, and 
eaten by Mr. Penrose, I have not tried.’ Let me hope he will not 
try it. 
Dr. Badham, in his Esculent Funguses of England, singles 
out this species as the esculent species of Amanita, and at page 129 
enlarges on its excellence. He also quotes the following strong 
recommendation of it from De Candolle—^ concoumele grise 
(Agaricus vaginatus) est une des especes les jilus delicates et les 
plus surs k manger.’ In the British Fungi, by Mr. Cooke, 
however, due caution is given as to the danger of eating this 
sjiecies, which, he remarks, “has not only enjoyed the rejiutation 
of being esculent, but also of being poisonous.” 
Prepared after Gerard s plan, already described, my friend Mr. 
Amyot writes, “ I did prepare it, cook it, and taste it, after the 
fatal accident at Stamford ; it appeared to mo to have no attrac- 
tions for table besides being dangerous.” 
Boletus Edulis. Edible table mushroom. A large, thick, 
smooth fungus, of a brownish or blackish colour, with white or 
greenish tubes, and a reticulated stem, growing in woods. I 
noticed this fungus was extremely common in the Italian markets, 
apparently taking the place of the A. campestris with us. I have 
myself tasted young Boletuses, and can testify to their excellence, 
as also do Messrs. Plowright and CroAvfoot. 
Dr. Cuffe writes, in a recent number of the British Medical 
Journal, “ I have gathered bushels at a time of the Boletus edulis, 
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