A GARICUS FIMETARIUS 
Egg M USHROOM. 
AGARICUS Linnai Gen. PI. CryptogAmia Fungi. 
Fungus horizontalis fubtus lamellofus. 
Rail Syii. Gen. i. Fungi. 
AGARICUS fimitarm ftipitatus, pileo campanukto lacero, lamellis nigris lateraliter flexuofis, ftipite 
fiftulofo* 
Un. Syft. Vegetal, p. 820. Spec. PI p. 1643. M Suede, a. 1215. 
AMANITA albus, campanulatus, fquamoflls, nlgrefcens. Haller, lift. helv. p. 157. n. * 2357. 
AGARICUS fimetarm. Scapoli FI. Carmel. . n. 1484. 
AGARICUS pileo campanulato, contrado, ftriato et viUofo, lamellis tenuiffimis ; petiolo cylindraceo, 
annulo fugaci, diftindto, vel nullo. Gleditch. Fung. p. 122. 
FUNGUS albns ovum referens. Buxbaum. Cent. 4. i. 27. Jig. 1. Rail Sym p. 5. v. 22. H udfoti. FI. 
Angl. p. 493. Lighlfool. FI. Scot. p. ro2r. Schaffer tab. 7. 8. 46. 47. 100. 
Gregatim plerumque nafeuhtur hi Fungi, ftibinde vero * 
folitarii inveniuntur; | 
STIPES primum pileo penitus obtegitur, mox femipe- ¥ 
dalis, evadit, cylindricus, filtulofus, albiffimus, | 
medulla filiformi , intra tubum libera. | 
t 
VOLVA nulla» fed margo inftar volvas ex margine pi- | 
lei lacero ftipitem cingente infra laminas. $ 
¥ 
PILEUS albus, in junioribus oblongus digitalis, mox I 
fubcampanulatus, demum fere planus ; Caro ' ' 
tenuis, Cutis in fquatnas fufeas laciniatas furfum ;; 
revolutas feparans, quse ccelo intempeftivo pluviis : ; 
fepe abluuntur, pileo decorticato albo relifto. : : 
LAMELLaE numerofe, lineas tres latie, primum albif- 
fima, farina quali adfperfze, in adultis laxa;, 
fiexuofce cum ruboris tindhira, demum nigri- 
cantes, in liquorem atramentofum diffluentes. 
Thefe Mufhrooms moft commonly rife out of the 
ground in clufters, fometimes they growlingly. 
STALK atfirft is wholly covered by the Pileus or Cap, 
but loon grows to the height of lix inches, is 
cylindrical, hollow and very white, the pith 
within the tube is Jhaped like a thread and loofe. 
RING proper, none, but a flight edging like a ring from 
the tom edge of the cap furrounds the llalk 
below the gills. 
CAP white, in the young ones oblong , the length of 
the finger, prefently becoming fomewhat bell- 
Ihaped, finally almolf flat; the Flesh thin; 
the Skin feparating into brown fiakes which curl 
upwards , and which in lhowery weather are 
often walhed off by the rains, leaving the Cap 
naked and white. 
GILLS numerous, three lines broad, at firft exceeding 
white and covered as it were with powder, 
when full grown they are loofely connected 
and waved, with a tinge of red, finally they 
become black and diflolve into an inky liquor. 
The Fungi, generally known in Englilh by the names of Mufhrooms and Load-fools, are a tribe of plants, which, 
while they have afforded abundant matter of curious inquiry to the philofophic naturalift, have hitherto eluded the 
ffloft unwearied attempts of the Botanift to reduce them to their feveral fpecies and varieties. 
Although, in point of Utility to mankind, they may not compare with many other families of plants, yet are 
they by no means without their importance in the general ceconomy of nature. Whatever is not immediately ap- 
plicable to our own wants, we are apt to think too lightly of ; forgetting, that the infinitely more numerous Inha- 
bitants of this terraqueous Globe, are equally the objedts of the care of an all bountiful Creator. 
A great variety of Infedts feed bn the different fpecies of Fungi, particularly the larva or maggots, of many of the 
Fly kind, Mufca Linn. 
In fome Countries, Mufhrooms are made much more an objedt of food than with us; this prompts the inhabitants 
often to eat fuch as are in their natures poifonous, whence direful effedts have too often proceeded. With us 
they are ufed more as an article of luxury, and the markets being chiefly fupplied by the cultivators of them, who 
propagate one particular fpecies, thefe fatal accidents fcarce ever happen here. 
To prevent, however» any accidents of this kind, perhaps the befi advice would be to caution perfons in general, 
to meddle with no other fort than the common field Mufhroom, which is generally cultivated ; and rather to pro- 
cure fuch of thofe who cultivate them, than of thofe who may occafionally offer them to fale : and to render a know- 
ledge of this fpecies more obvious, we propofe, in a future number, to give a figure of it in all its ftates, and Ihall 
endeavour to diftinguifh it from the others in the plaineft manner. 
From the obfervations already made on this Genus, we are led to think, that the feveral fpecies of them are more 
diftindf, and lefs liable to thofe amazing alterations, which Botanifts inform us of, and which indeed, are fufficient 
to intimidate the Student, and deter him, from entering on a field, where he is to expedt nothing but confufion, and 
be loft in the perplexing mazes of endlefs varieties. There is one pleafing circumftance attends the Fungi: they 
make their principal appearance in Autumn, at a time of the year, when the Botanift is moft at leifure to obferve 
them, and when fcarce any other plants engage his attention. Next fucceed the wintry Mofles : and thus the 
Botanifts perpetual fummer is rendered compleat. 
The fpecies here figured is not eaten with us ; yet there appears no reafon to fufpedt its being in any degree 
poifonous. 
It occurs very frequently, towards the end of September, by the fides of Roads, growing out of the ground, 
probaly where there has been fome dung intermixed. 
It is diftinguifhed from the other Fungi by its oblong oval lhape ; and in a more particular manner, by the ragged- 
nefs of its outer coat, which curls up in flakes ; but it is apt to be walhed off in heavy rains. The gills are large, nu- 
merous. and waved , at firft of a reddifli purple colour, and often white, finally difolving into a black liquid, 
like many others of the fame kind. 
