ans black ink. The pileus is at first egg-shaped, gray
or grayish-brown, smooth, except that there is a slight scaly
appearance; often covered with a marked bloom, margin ribbed, often
notched, soft, tender, becoming expanded, when it melts away in inky
fluid.

The gills are broad, close, ventricose, creamy-white in young specimens,
becoming pinkish-gray, then black, moist, melting away in inky drops.

The stem is slender, two to four inches in length, hollow, smooth,
tapering upward, easily separating from the cap, with slight vestige of
a collar near the base when young but soon disappearing. The spores
are elliptical, 12x6u., and black, falling away in drops.

I have found it abundantly all over the state, from May till late frost.
In Figure 271 the one in the center will show the spot-like scales; on
the others the bloom referred to is quite apparent; the section to the
right shows the broad, ventricose gills--cream-white though slightly
tinged with pink--also the shape of the stem. The plant at the extreme
right has expanded and begun to deliquesce. C. atramentarius is very
abundant, growing in rich soil, lawns, filled places, and gardens.

[Illustration: Plate XXXVIII. Figure 272.--Coprinus atramentarius.]

_Coprinus micaceus. Fr._

THE GLISTENING COPRINUS. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Figure 273.--Coprinus micaceus. Two-thirds natural size.]

Micaceus is from _micare_, to glisten, and refers to the small scales on
the pileus which resemble mica scales. The pileus is tawny-yellow, tan
or light buff, ovate, bell-shaped; having striations radiating from near
the center of the disk to the margin; glistening mica-like scales
covering undisturbed young specimens; the margin somewhat revolute or
wavy.

The gills are crowded, rather narrow, whitish, then tinged with pinkish
or purplish-brown then black.

The stem is slender, fragile, hollow, silky, even, whitish, often
twisted, one to three inches long. The spores are blackish, sometimes
brown, elliptical, 10x5u.

The Glistening Coprinus is a small but common and beautiful species. One
cannot fail to recognize a Coprinus from a photograph. It is somewhat
bell-shaped and marked with impressed lines or striations from the
margin to or beyond the center of the disk and sprinkled with fugacious
micaceous granules all of which show in Figure 273. For eating, this is
without doubt the best mushroom that grows. The specimens in Figure 273
grew around an old peach stum