and white; color of the cap
light-brown or fawn-color, sometimes sooty, often more than three inches
across the cap.

The gills are free from the stem, broad, ventricose, unequal in length,
almost white when young, flesh-colored when mature from the falling of
the spores. The stem is solid, slightly tapering upward, firm, brittle,
white, spread over with a few dark fibrils, generally crooked. The
spores are broadly elliptical. The cystidia in the hymenium on the gills
will be of interest to those who have a microscope.

This is a very common mushroom about Chillicothe. It is found on logs,
stumps, and especially on old sawdust piles. Note how easily the stem is
removed from the cap. This will distinguish it from the genus Entoloma.
You cannot get anything in the market that will make a better fry than
Pluteus cervinus; fried in butter, it is simply delicious. Found from
May to October.

[Illustration: Figure 189.--Pluteus cervinus.]

_Pluteus granularis. Pk._

[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 190.--Pluteus granularis.]

Pileus is convex, then expanded, slightly umbonate, wrinkled, sprinkled
with minute blackish granules, varying in color from yellow to brown.

The gills are rather broad, close, ventricose, free, whitish, then
flesh-colored.

The stem is equal, solid, pallid, or brown, usually paler at the top,
velvety with a short, close pile.

The spores are subglobose, about .0002 inch in diameter. The plant is
two to three inches high, pileus one to two inches broad, stem one to
two lines thick. _Peck_, 38th Rep. N. Y. State Bot.

This is a much smaller species than P. cervinus, but its esculent
qualities are quite as good. Found from July to October.

_Pluteus eximius. Smith._

_Eximius, choice, distinguished._ The pileus is fleshy, bell-shaped when
young, expanded, beautifully fringed on the margin, larger than the
cervinus.

The gills are free, broad, ventricose, white at first, then
rose-colored, flesh white, and firm.

The stem is thick, solid, and clothed with fibers. Dr. Herbst, Fungal
Flora of the Lehigh Valley.

I found some beautiful specimens in George Mosher's icehouse. I am very
sorry I did not photograph them.

_Volvaria. Fr._

The spores of this genus are regular, oval, rosy-spored. The veil is
universal, forming a perfect volva, distinct from the cuticle of the
pileus. The stem is easily separable from the pileus. The gills are
free, rounded behind, at fir