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No species of Agaric can be more common than the present
one, in every part of the kingdom ; so much so, that it is
scarcely possible to take a walk in the country without perceiving
it ; and yet, singular as it may seem, it has been either
so overlooked, or so indifferently described hy most of the
older authors, that the greatest uncertainty for a long time existed
in regard to it. We have quoted R a y , however, with
some confidence. B u l l ia r d has given two plates of what he
calls Agaric lustré, one of which is certainly correct, the other
as certainly incorrect. B a t s c h ’s figure is correct, though done
from under-sized specimens. The illustration in “ Flora Lon-
dinensis” by C u r t i s , is really characteristic of one state of the
plant, but miserably executed. As to S o w e r b y , t. 248. is
excellent, excluding figs. 1, 2, 3, which are another species ;
and the two additional plates in the Supplement are also filled
with figures for the most part belonging to other species. With
a laudable wish to prevent any one mistaking this fungus for
other harmless ones, the last-mentioned author changed the
name to virosus, forgetting that the lower classes, most liable
to fall victims to such an error, were scarcely likely to study
mycology, or know the meaning of Latin names. After all,
it is still doubtful whether A . semiglobatus be really poisonous
or not ; for Mr S o w e r b y states, that it was the variety
with the pointed pileus (t. 248. figs. 1, 2, 3.) which nearly
proved fatal to a poor family in the neighbourhood of London,
and it is certain that the variety he alludes to is a totally different
plant from the other figures on the same plate.
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Fig. 1. A section o f a plant, natural size.