TRUFFLE. PUFF-BALL. 275 
been exposed for some days to wet weather, they are 
extremely pernicious. 
294. The TRUFFLE (Tuber cibarium) is a globular, 
solid, and warty fungus, without root, which grows at the 
depth of four or Jive inches beneath the surface of the earth, 
and is from the size of a pea to that of apotatoe. 
This, one of the best of the edible funguses, is 
chiefly found in hilly woods and pastures, which have 
a sandy or clayey bottom ; and occurs on the downs of 
Wiltshire, Hampshire, and Kent, Truffles are gene- 
rally discovered by means of dogs, which are taught 
to hunt for them by scent ; and wherever they smell 
one of them, they bark, and scratch it up. In Italy 
they are hunted, in somewhat similar manner, by pigs. 
Truffles are either served at table roasted in a fresh 
state like potatoes, or they are cut into slices and dried, 
as an ingredient for sauces and soups. Those that are 
most delicious are internally of white colour, and have 
somewhat the odour of garlic. 
In England truffles seldom exceed the weight of 
four or five ounces ; whilst on the Continent they 
are known to weigh as much as fifteen or sixteen 
ounces each. 
295. The PUFF-BALL (Lycoperdon bovista) is a round 
kind of fungus, which is filled with a soft whitish flesh when 
young, and a fine brown poivder when ripe. 
The powder of the puff-ball is sometimes used as a 
styptic, to prevent the bleeding of recent wounds.. 
This powder is extremely subtile, and is very injurious 
to the eyes. Instances have occurred of persons who^ 
having had it blown into their face, have thereby been 
deprived of their sight for a considerable time; and have 
also been affected with violent pain and inflammation. 
There is a curious experiment of taking a shilling 
from the bottom of a vessel of water, without wetting 
the hand. This is said to be effected by strewing a 
small quantity of the dust of the puff-ball on the sur- 
