p in Dr. Miesse's yard, in Chillicothe. You
will find them around any stump, especially just before a rain. If you
secure a good supply and wish to keep them, partially cook them and warm
them for use.

_Coprinus ebulbosus. Pk._

[Illustration: Figure 274.--Coprinus ebulbosus. One-half natural size.]

_Ebulbosus_, without being bulbous. This seems to be the difference
between the American and the European plants, the latter being bulbous.

The pileus is membranaceous, at first ovate, bell-shaped, striate,
variegated with broad white scales, or white patches; one to two inches
broad.

The gills are free, broad, ventricose, grayish-black, soon deliquescing.

The stem is hollow, equal, fragile, smooth, four to five inches long.

Usually found where old stumps have been cut off under the ground,
leaving the roots in the ground. It is very abundant. The collector will
have no trouble to recognize it from Figure 274. They are found from
June to October. Edible, but not as good as C. atramentarius.

_Coprinus ephemerus. Fr._

THE EPHEMERAL COPRINUS. EDIBLE.

Ephemerus, lasting for a day. This plant lasts only for a short time. It
comes up in the early morning or at night and as soon as the sun's rays
touch it it deliquesces into an inky fluid.

The pileus is membranaceous, very thin, oval, slightly covered with
bran-like scales, disk elevated, even.

Gills are adnexed, distant, whitish, brown, then black. The stem is
slender, equal, pellucid, smooth, from one to two inches high.

When this plant is fully developed it is quite a beautiful specimen,
striated from margin to center. Found on dung and dung heaps and in well
manured grass plots from May to October. It must be cooked at once. Its
chief value is its excellent mushroom flavor.

_Coprinus ovatus. Fr._

THE OVATE COPRINUS. EDIBLE.

_Ovatus is from ovum_, an egg. It is so called from the shape of the
pileus, which is somewhat membranaceous, ovate, then expanded, striate;
at first woven into densely imbricated, thick, concentric scales; is
bulbous, rooting, flocculose, hollow above, the ring deciduous; gills
free, remote, slightly ventricose, for sometime white, then
umber-blackish.

This plant is much smaller and less striking than the C. comatus, yet
its edible qualities are the same. I have eaten it and found it
delicious. It is found in about the same locality in which you would
expect to find the C. comatus.

_Coprinus fimetarius. Fr._