ilvicola, when seen in the
woods at a distance, resembles the Amanita, but a careful glance at the
gills will detect the difference.

The gills of the very young plant may appear white, but they will soon
develop a pinkish tinge which will distinguish it from the Amanita. It
is found in thin woods from July to October.

_Agaricus comptulus. Fr._

Comptulus means beautified or luxuriously decked; so called from the
silky lustre of its cap.

The pileus is at first convex, then expanded, rather fleshy, thinner at
the margin and incurved, usually with an adpressed silky finish to the
surface of the cap which gives rise to its specific name.

The gills are free, much rounded toward the margin and the stem, white
at first, then grayish, pinkish, purple-brown in old plants.

The stem is hollow, tapering from the base to the cap, slight bulbous,
white, then yellowish, fleshy, fibrous. The veil is more delicate than
in A. silvaticus, parts of it often found in young plants on the margin
of the cap, forming a ring on the stem which soon almost disappears.
Spores small, 4-5x2-3u.

The surface of the cap, the rounding of the gills both in front and
behind, also the tendency to turn white paper blue or bluish when the
flesh of the cap comes in contact with it, will assist in determining
this species.

It is found in grassy places in open woods, especially in the vicinity
of pine trees, October and November.

_Agaricus placomyces. Pk._

THE FLAT-CAP MUSHROOM. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Plate XXXV. Figure 255.--Agaricus placomyces.]

[Illustration: Figure 256.--Agaricus placomyces. Two-thirds natural
size.]

[Illustration: Figure 257.--Agaricus placomyces. Two-thirds natural
size.]

Placomyces means a flat mushroom. This is one of our prettiest plants.

The pileus is broadly ovate, rather thin, at first convex, but when it
is fully expanded it is quite flat, whitish, brown in the center, as
will be seen in Figure 256, but it is covered with a persistent brown
scale.

The gills are white at first, then pink, turning blackish brown, quite
crowded.

The stem is rather long, and slender, cylindrical stuffed, somewhat
bulbous at the base, commonly whitish but at times bears yellow stains
toward the base, tapering toward the cap. The veil is quite interesting.
It is broad and double, loosely joined together by threads, the lower or
outer veil breaking first into regular radiating portions. The spores
are elliptical,