153
Key to Gasteromycetes and Ascomycetes, 153

Glossary, 155

Index to Descriptions of Fungi, 161

Guide for Determining Genera of Agarics
in four Tables, 165

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FACING PAGE

Craterellus cornucopioides--
Cortinarius armillatus--
Clitocybe laccata--
Tremellodon gelatinosum. _Frontispiece._
Coprinus atramentarius, 26
Amanita vaginata, 37
Omphalia alboflava, 47
Russula pectinata, 76
Lactarius insulsus, 92
Amanita vaginata, 101
Psathyrella disseminata, 116
Lepiota procera, 120
Boletus edulis--
Hypholoma perplexum--
Marasmius rotula--
Calostoma cinnebarinus, 129
Cortinarius distans, 147

INTRODUCTION.

This book is intended for those who, though ignorant on the subject,
desire to know something about mushrooms. The first question which such
an one asks upon finding a mushroom is, "What is its name?" If there is
no one near to tell him, then follows the second inquiry, "How can I
find it out for myself?" If wild flowers were concerned, Gray's little
book, "How the Plants Grow," could be used; and there is also Mrs.
Dana's book on "The Wild Flowers," that has given so much pleasure. In
the case of mushrooms, however, but one answer can be returned to all
questions: "There is no American text-book on mushrooms, there is no
manual for beginners."

There are many books on British fungi for students, but we want some
popular work easy to understand, with no technical expressions.

This necessity for a simple guide-book has been felt by many. Let us
give our own experience. We procured a list of works on fungi, and
looked for some volume not too deep for our comprehension nor too costly
for our purse. Among those we found were "Handbook for Students"
(Taylor); "Edible and Poisonous Fungi" (Cooke), and a pamphlet by
Professor Peck, "Mushrooms and Their Uses." This seemed to be the one
that we could comprehend most easily, and so, armed with it, and another
pamphlet by Professor Underwood, called "Suggestions to Collectors of
Fleshy Fungi," which contained a simple key, we started out to make
discoverie